Kick About, Destroy, Bind
by MJLCoyoteStarrk
Summary: Aizen is set to take over the Gensei Provinces and three former Espada can stop him, but can they get anyone to believe them in time or will they be forced to stand alone?  Official theme music: "The Ecstasy of Gold" and "The Trio" by Ennio Morricone
1. Chapter 1: Crimson Sunset

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**A.N.: I don't own Bleach**

**Chapter 1: Crimson Sunset**

The sun reached its zenith as the two figures approached the small outpost town of Kagamino on the border of the Gensei Provinces. One was a girl who was only about eleven or twelve and rode a dirty-grey pony with light-red spots she named Strawberry. The other was a tall man with shoulder-length brown hair who was riding a silver and brown horse that had black markings around the eyes that he named Okami. The two stopped in front of a notice board and the man dismounted his horse. He looked at the Wanted Posters. Three in particular caught his eye.

**WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE**

"**THE LOS LOBOS DUO"**

COYOTE STARRK "LOS LOBOS" KNOWN TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A GIRL CALLED "THE LOBATO"

**REWARD:** $100,000,000 IN GOLD OR CASH

**CAUTION: **EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, ACE GUNSLINGER, BELIEVED TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL WOLVES, SECOND MOST DANGEROUS OUTLAWS BEHIND "SHADOW LURKER"

**WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE**

"**BLOOD STAR" AND THE "DIAMOND SISTERS"**

**REWARD:** $90,000,000 IN GOLD OR CASH

**CAUTION:** EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, HIGHLY SKILLED IN EXPLOSIVES, "BLOOD STAR" KNOWN TO BE AN ACE GUNSLINGER, THIRD MOST DANGEROUS OUTLAWS, TEAMWORK IS KEY

**WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE**

**ULQUIORRA SCHIFFER A.K.A. "NIGHT BRINGER"**

**REWARD:** $85,000,000 IN GOLD OR CASH

**CAUTION:** EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, WORKS ALONE, ACE GUNSLINGER, KNOWN TO BE EXTREMELY AGILE AND QUICK, EX-TRACKER, FOURTH MOST DANGEROUS OUTLAW

"Hey Lily, take a look at this," he said to his companion. "It looks like our bounty went up by about…Lilynette?"

Lilynette Gingerback, a.k.a. "The Lobato", was trying to dismount her pony, Strawberry. Unfortunately, her right spur got caught in the stirrup of her western saddle and Lilynette was having difficulty getting it free. The man sighed and went to her.

"I'm stuck. Get me out of this, Starrk," she said.

"I'm coming," Coyote Starrk, a.k.a. "Los Lobos", said with a sigh.

He immediately knew what the problem was. She put her foot too far into the stirrup that her foot slipped the rest of the way. This was the ninth time that week she made that mistake and he wasn't in the mood to correct her. He knelt and pushed the bottom of her boot up a little bit and then slid her foot through the stirrup.

If anyone didn't know them, they would have thought them either father and daughter or brother and sister. However, they were actually "The Los Lobos Duo". Their main crime was mostly robbing banks or holding trains at gunpoint. However, they never robbed from those who were poor or who were heading out West in search of a new life. They mostly stole from those who would take advantage of the more honest folk in order to line their pockets with more cash and gold.

However, Starrk had been forced to kill a few times every once in a while. He didn't want anyone to get killed, but those people dared to threaten Lilynette or even tried to hurt her in any way. If there was one thing he hated above anything else, it was when someone tried to hurt Lilynette in any way. However, if she hurt herself, that was a completely different story. After all, she could get clumsy at times.

"Ow," Lilynette cried out.

Starrk was able to get her foot free from the stirrup, but as he did, she picked that moment to swing her left leg around. As a result, she lost her balance and fell to the ground. However, Lilynette was young and she just sprang up as though nothing happened and brushed off as much dirt as she could from her white shirt and brown vest. She patted down her blue jeans before looking at Starrk who was only shaking his head. She tucked the gold locket back under her shirt, but she stroked the heart-shaped pendant before doing so.

"Come on, Lilynette," he said.

They led their horses by the reigns until they reached a saloon. They tied their horses to the post. Starrk looked at the building across the way. It was another Hogyoku United Bank. He noticed that certain bank was starting to crop up everywhere. He pushed it out of his mind.

"Lilynette, watch the horses. I'm gonna get something to drink. I won't be long."

"Whatever you say," Lilynette said and stuck her tongue out at his back.

The bar itself was relatively quiet. There were two men sitting in a corner, but the shadows had grown to where Starrk could not make out anything other than their outlines. However, he could feel that they were watching him. The Barkeep looked up from wiping the counter and looked up. Starrk felt that something wasn't quite right. The sound of his footsteps echoed through the quiet room.

"Can I…can I help you?" the Barkeep asked. Starrk noticed that the Barkeep was a little bit nervous.

"I'd like a shot of whiskey," Starrk said, "and a bottle of Sarsaparilla."

"Alright sir," the Barkeep said.

Starrk looked into the bar's mirror and watched as a woman walked through the "batwing" doors. She was a darkly-tanned woman with shortly-cut blonde hair and a tattoo of a blue lightning bolt on each cheek. Her clothes were rather tight-fighting and showed off her well-endowed physique. She wore a bright crimson turtleneck that ended above her navel and showed off her flat stomach. She wore a pair of tight khaki pants that flared out at her knees. Her silver-ringed belt ran around her waist, just above the top of her pants. She wore a white, long-sleeved jacket that only went mid-torso and had a high collar with a crimson star on the back. Both of her white, fingerless gloves had a crimson five-pointed star. She looked around with her sea-green eyes and twirled her white hat with one finger.

"Well, I'll be," Starrk muttered.

Starrk couldn't believe that she could actually keep that outfit clean, especially on the dry, dusty roads. His own clothes were somewhat covered in dirt. His black pants were starting to show some age and become stiff with the mixture of dirt and sweat. His cream-colored shirt had the appearance of being worn for days on end. His dark blue vest was still in pretty decent shape, but it was starting to lighten a bit. His long, light-brown duster was lined with grey fur at the collar was in good shape. The only thing that he really kept clean was the pair of silver guns he hid with his duster and the dagger he kept strapped to his outer right thigh.

He looked at the howling wolf heads embroidered on the back of his black leather gloves with silver thread. He lowered his brown hat to avoid her gaze. He found it rather ironic that two of the most dangerous outlaws were in the same room. He remembered that the last time he saw her was during the failed attack on Karakura Town.

"Here you are sir," the Barkeep said and sat the glass of whiskey down on the table as well as a bottle of Chappy's Old Fashioned Sarsaparilla that had the picture of a smiling rabbit drinking a mug of foaming Sarsaparilla.

"Thanks," Starrk said.

"What can I get you, little lady?" he asked.

"I'll just have a glass of Reposado Tequila," she said.

"Yes ma'am," he said, taking in a good look at her large breasts before turning to get her drink. "Damn, they're about Rangiku's size, maybe even bigger," he whispered.

"It's been a while, Tia," Starrk said.

She didn't say anything. When the Barkeep put her glass of Tequila on the counter, she started to drink it. Starrk felt a desire to smirk a little, but forced his face to remain smooth. Starrk could tell that she was not in the mood to talk. He thought he knew why. It had taken three months for her to become one of the top four notorious outlaws. It only took Starrk a week and a half to get that same honor.

He could not believe that it had been four months since the failed attack on Karakura Town. They both knew that there were very dangerous men chasing after them. Unlike most of the inhabitants in the Gensei Provinces and those who served in the Gotei Squads, the military patrols in the Provinces, they knew who the "Shadow Lurker" was.

_Garganta Pass, Four Months Before_

_The fourteen figures looked down at the town in the valley, the sun setting behind the town. Lilynette was the only fraccion with them since Starrk said that he would refuse to fight if she was left behind with the others. The "Shadow Lurker" agreed that she could come, so long as she didn't get in the way. If she was wounded somehow, then Starrk would have to deal with it. Starrk agreed._

_The "Shadow Lurker" and his two "friends" were at the front with the ten Espada, the ten most dangerous "Arrancar" outlaws, behind. Starrk looked at Baraggan and saw that he was upset that he was not allowed to bring his "Crimson Dragons" with him and then he looked to Tia Harribel who sat on her white horse, Tiburón. Starrk saw that she was tense and he couldn't blame her._

_"My dear Espada," the "Shadow Lurker" said, facing them. "It is time for you to gain your glory. Now, attack."_

_Most of the Espada cheered and rushed down into the Garganta Pass that led to Karakura Town. Lilynette cheered as well and would have charged with the other Espada. However, Starrk knew her too well and grabbed hold of her reigns._

_"Starrk, why'd you do that?" Lilynette asked, upset. "I want to kick some Karakura ass."_

_"Easy Lilynette, let's not get too hasty. Besides, where did you learn that kind of language? A young lady shouldn't use such language," Starrk said._

_"Why you…let go, I want to fight," Lilynette shouted._

_Starrk could hear the other Espada cheering; even Baraggan was getting into it. However, the three Espada who still stood on the ridge did not cheer. Starrk and Harribel looked at Ulquiorra who only looked at them. In that moment, they realized that they all felt that something was not right. However, they saw the "Shadow Lurker" and the two others look at them, hands ready at their guns._

_"So, they're going to force us to attack," Starrk whispered, regretting that he brought Lilynette with him._

_Realizing that they had no choice, the four raced into the Pass and caught up with the other Espada. Together, the eleven raced into Karakura Town._

_Kagamino_

"Master Harribel!" someone shouted.

The two turned and saw a young woman walking into the bar. She had jaw-length black hair and her eyes were two different colors. Her right eye was ice blue and her left eye was amber. She had a red tattoo outlining her left eye. She wore a tight, white sleeveless v-necked jacket with black trim and unadorned gold buttons and a small crimson star on either side of her turned-up collar. She wore tight, white pants and black boots that were also clean.

Starrk noticed that the two men in the corner shifted slightly at the sound of the name Harribel. However, they still remained seated. The Barkeep acted as though he didn't notice. But Starrk saw his eyes stare hard at Harribel and his left hand slowly going under the counter. However, he only brought out two more bottles of beer and brought them to the two in the corner.

_I must be getting jumpy,_ Starrk thought. However, something about the way the Barkeep looked at the two as he reached under the counter told him otherwise.

"We've been looking for you. You just snuck away from us and we were…" she trailed off when she noticed Starrk. "Is this guy bothering you?" she asked narrowing her eyes at him.

"No," Tia Harribel said and sipped at her Tequila.

"I don't know," the new-comer said and leaned closer to Starrk. "He looks like he's up to no good."

"That's enough, Apacci," Tia said.

"Wait a minute…" Apacci said, recognition filled her face and she grinned. "I remember you…Starrk. How's it been?" she asked and slapped Starrk on the back.

At that moment, Starrk saw the two figures in the corner get up. They were walking to the batwing doors, but stopped. Starrk and Tia both turned and reached for their pistols and heard an audible click coming from behind them.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the Barkeep said, aiming his Colt revolver at them. "Ikaku, Yumichika, I got them covered."

"Excellent work, Maki-Maki," the one of them said as he approached the bar.

He was wearing the dark blue uniform of a Gotei. He got his own Colt revolver that was engraved with a rampaging dragon. Starrk couldn't help but notice how the sun gleamed off his bald head.

"This is most beautiful," the other said.

He was wearing the usual Gotei uniform, but he also wore a golden-colored pull-over that draped over his shoulders and covered the upper part of his chest. He also wore a golden-colored sleeve that went from his wrist to his elbow of the same material on his right arm that was attached to the pull-over by a strap of the same material. His own Colt revolver was engraved with a peacock on the grip.

"Shut up, Yumichika, just cover them," the bald man ordered, still grinning.

"Don't you realize that there's a specific art to capturing two of the most dangerous outlaws?" Yumichika asked, allowing his left hand to play with his evenly-cut black hair.

"It's not supposed to be beautiful. It's supposed to be bloody and violent," Ikaku said.

"No, it's supposed to be a glorious moment for anyone in the Gotei Squads."

"Like I said, 'bloody and violent,'" Ikaku said.

"Wouldn't it be better if you arrested them without letting your blood messing up your clothes?"

Starrk and Harribel looked at each other while Apacci looked at the two men as though they were insane. Maki-Maki, however, was starting to panic. He didn't know who he should keep his gun trained on and Ikaku and Yumichika were busy arguing again.

"Look, I'm telling you, it's pathetic. I mean, come on, we have two of the most wanted outlaws together…IN A BAR! It's pathetic," Ikaku said.

"I would have to disagree. I find the idea very beautiful. Don't you think so?"

"No, I find it rather sickening. This isn't any fun."

"Well, at any rate, we got them where we want them. We might even get a promotion, Ikaku."

"Hey, don't forget about me," Maki-Maki said, feeling rejected, as usual.

Yumichika and Ikaku returned their attention to Starrk and Harribel who were still standing there. However, Apacci had snuck out of the bar after Harribel whispered something to her. None of the three Gotei paid any attention to Apacci, thinking that she was just some random citizen walking into a bar.

"So," Ikaku said, aiming his revolver at Starrk's head. "You're the great 'Los Lobos', Coyote Starrk, right? This is my lucky day."

"Just don't go into your 'Lucky Me' dance, it's hideous," Yumichika said as Ikaku did go into his "Lucky Me" dance. "At any rate, you're the 'Blood Star', Tia Harribel. You better stay still," Yumichika said as he pointed his revolver at Harribel, "I would hate to ruin your beauty, even though you are just an 'Arrancar'."

"Hey now, just be careful. I don't want you to get any blood on my newly clean floors," Maki-Maki cried out.

"SHUT UP, MAKI-MAKI," Ikaku shouted. "YOU'RE NOT EVEN A REAL BARKEEP!"

"Oh…that's right," Maki-Maki said, realizing that he was actually a soldier of the Gotei.

"Starrk," Harribel growled.

"What is it?" Starrk asked, rather bored with the whole thing.

"I don't like how these two are talking about us. Let's teach them a lesson about messing around with an Espada."

"Just try not to be so loud. I didn't get much sleep."

"I'll try, but no promises."

Before the two men could do anything, Starrk and Harribel attacked. Starrk punched Ikaku in the stomach with his left fist while his right swung up and caused Ikaku to lose his grip on his revolver. As Ikaku's revolver flew into the air, Harribel drew one of her revolvers and shot Yumichika's gun out of his hand.

"You…you ruined my beautiful gun," Yumichika moaned and collapsed weeping as he cradled his revolver.

"What a wimp," Harribel whispered and turned to Starrk. "Was that too loud?"

"Yes," Starrk said, rubbing his head. "You didn't have to use your gun. Why did you think that I didn't? It's because…IT'S TOO LOUD!"

"GET OUT OF MY BAR!" someone cried out from behind them.

They turned and saw Maki-Maki aiming his revolver at them. He was shaking so badly that Starrk couldn't believe that he was in the Gotei Squads. On the other hand, Starrk couldn't believe that this guy once again forgot that he was even in the Gotei Squads. However, whenever he got really frightened or upset, Maki-Maki's fingers had the unfortunate habit of tightening. This was one of those times. His finger accidentally pulled the trigger and a bullet went straight for Harribel. In a quick, fluid motion, Starrk grabbed the bullet. Smoke rose from between his fingers and he walked back to Maki-Maki who was whimpering.

"I believe this is yours," he said and dropped the bullet onto the counter. "And this," he said, grabbing the bottle of Chappy's Old Fashioned Sarsaparilla from the counter, "is mine."

He turned and saw Ikaku getting up. Just as Ikaku was reaching for his spare gun, three shots rang out. They turned and saw Apacci and two other women standing in the entryway. All three had their guns drawn, but a woman with long, olive-colored hair with a silver-and-diamond hairpin shaped like a serpent on the right side also held a stick of dynamite.

Like Apacci, they all wore black boots and tight white pants. However, the woman holding the stick of dynamite had a long, white jacket with a crimson star on each collar that was open to reveal a light-blue shirt with silver buttons. The other woman, who had long, dark brown hair and dark skin, was wearing a low-cut white vest with crimson trim, a crimson star on the back, and gold buttons shaped like lion heads. She didn't wear a shirt under it and so her vest showed off much of her ample bosom.

Starrk recognized them as Harribel's other companions: Mila Rose and Sung-Sun. Sung Sun put her revolver into its white-leather holster engraved with gold scrollwork and brought out a silver-plated lighter with a small emerald in the center of an intricate network of scroll-worked serpents that were made to resemble vines. She flicked the lighter open and a small flame appeared.

"So," Apacci said. "Are these guys bothering you?" she asked, gesturing to Ikaku who stood in shock and at Yumichika who was still mourning over his revolver and then at Maki-Maki who just gaped at the bullet on the counter.

"Yes," Harribel said as she tossed a couple of coins to the bar counter where they landed or rolled until they stopped.

"I see. Do you want us to kill them?" Mila Rose asked, grinning.

"We don't have time for that," Harribel said. "However, Sung-Sun, you may leave your gift behind to serve as a…way of saying 'goodbye'."

"Thank you ma'am," Sung-Sun said with a slight bow.

"Come along girls, Starrk, you might want to get out too," Harribel said.

Starrk only shrugged and he walked out, still holding the bottle of soda. When he walked out of the saloon, Sung-Sun lit the fuse on the dynamite and tossed it through the entryway. She rushed away and there came a rather loud explosion followed by glass flying from the broken windows and the batwing doors bursting outward in a storm of debris.

"Don't worry, they'll only get a few bumps and bruises," Sung-Sun said.

"My…my BEAUTIFUL SALOON," Maki-Maki cried out.

"SHUT UP, YOU IDIOT, YOU'RE NOT EVEN A REAL BARKEEP!" Ikaku screamed.

"My beautiful clothes," Yumichika moaned.

"Why did I get stuck with these two idiots?" Ikaku asked himself.

"You know, I can't help but feel sorry for them," Starrk said.

"Wow, what happened?" Lilynette asked coming up behind him.

"Just a little trouble," Starrk said. "Here, I got you something," he said and handed the bottle of Sarsaparilla to Lilynette. With a flick of his thumb and forefinger, the cap flew off and a bit of foam spilled over the mouth's rim.

"Thanks, Starrk," she said taking the bottle. "Wow, they had my favorite!"

_Karakura Town_

The telegraph office was next to the sheriff's office. Rin was sleeping at the desk next to the telegraph machine. Akon, who had just walked in to take over, was not surprised. Rin was usually found asleep or eating Chappy's Choco-Caramel Drops. However, she was good at getting any and all messages that came over the wire. He shook his head as he hung his bowler hat and his dark blue overcoat on two of the hooks against the wall.

"Rin, get up, you're shift's over," he said, gently shaking her.

"Uh…huh," Rin moaned as she got up and yawned.

"You're shift's over."

"Oh, is it?"

"Yes, did any important messages come in?"

"Just one, it got in just a couple of minutes ago. It's from Ikaku."

"Why didn't you take it to the Sheriff?"

"Well, I…"

"It's fine. It's not like you got it hours ago and forgot. So, what did the message say?"

"It said that they encountered Coyote Starrk and Tia Harribel. They were close to apprehending them, but they got away," Rin said and yawned.

"I see. I'll take this to the Sheriff. Rin, you stay here until I get back."

"Alright," Rin said and returned to her sleep.

When Akon walked out of the office, he began to run next door. He knew that Sheriff Ichigo Kurosaki would have to know about this as soon as possible. Two of the Espada were on the move. Akon was afraid that the other Espada might be moving soon.

_Hueco Mundo Wastes_

The six men rode through the empty desert of Hueco Mundo. The man in the lead was tall, lean, and muscular. His light blue hair shifted slightly in the breeze. He wore loose-fitting blue jeans with dark brown boots with silver engravings and a tight dark blue vest that he kept open to show off the scar that ran down his chest. His intense blue eyes were outlined with green-colored markings. Around his neck, he wore a silver medallion with a large cat prowling the desert at night with the words "Moler el Mundo para el polvo" ("Grind the World to dust") engraved along the edges.

This man was Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, the "Panther King". His five companions were Shawlong Kufang, Edorad Liones, Yylfordt Granz, Di Roy Rinker, and Nakeem Grindina. Together they were called the "Pantera Gang" and together were considered the fifth most dangerous group of outlaws. The total bounty on their heads totaled $75,000,000. However, Grimmjow wanted that tally to become even greater. He wanted his gang to be considered even more dangerous than the "Shadow Lurker".

"Grimmjow, we're approaching the mountains surrounding Las Noches," Shawlong said.

Grimmjow looked to his second-in-command. Shawlong's long, braided, black hair whipped out behind him. His long, grey coat hardly fluttered since he always kept it buttoned-up and kept in place with the help of his gun belts.

"Good, we'll be on time for the gathering," Grimmjow said.

"Are you sure we can trust him?" Shawlong asked.

"Of course we can't, but that doesn't matter. As long as I get back at that orange-haired bastard, I don't care who I have to follow," Grimmjow said and stroked the thick scar that ran down his chest.

"Sir, what if this proves to be a bad idea?" Shawlong asked.

"I know it's a bad idea, but I love it. So tell me, who do you think is gonna be a no-show?"

"Tia Harribel has been made aware of the meeting. However, I doubt she'll come, especially after what happened to her during the first assault on Karakura Town. In all likely-hood, Starrk and Ulquiorra will refuse to come as well. However, the other Espada will come, although Yylfordt's little brother is on the fence."

"HA! Professor Psycho will show, especially if he gets more test subjects for his…'experiments'," Grimmjow said chuckling.

"I agree," Shawlong said. "If that's the case then six of the Espada will be with the 'Shadow Lurker', but three of the most powerful could be a nuisance for his plans."

"What about Baraggan?" Grimmjow asked.

"It's difficult to say which way he will go. Of course, he might go his own way."

Grimmjow nodded. This information did not surprise him. He knew that Harribel wouldn't want to rejoin the "Shadow Lurker" and Starrk had been the one who suggested that they run. Grimmjow was surprised that Ulquiorra agreed with their suggestion. He thought that Ulquiorra was "the 'Shadow Lurker's' Bitch", but he was wrong. Grimmjow considered joining them, but he had been persuaded to remain.

The "Shadow Lurker" would meet them in a few days. Grimmjow knew that they couldn't trust him. However, he had been promised a chance at taking out the Sheriff of Karakura Town, and he was more than willing to take it. After he was finished with Ichigo Kurosaki, he would turn on the "Shadow Lurker".

_The Sabaku Desert_

"So, why have you been following me?" Starrk asked and turned towards Harribel and the "Diamond Sisters".

"We're not following you," Apacci said. "We're going in the same direction."

"Okay…then where are you going?"

The four women stayed silent. Mila Rose sat on top of her horse, which was brown with patches of white at the flanks, Leona. Her green eyes looked at Apacci, who was on her grey horse, Cierva, as though it was her fault. Sung-Sun, who sat on her cream-colored horse, Anaconda, was rubbing the serpentine strawberry-colored mark that rand down her horse's face.

Starrk noticed that Harribel wanted to approach him, but she held back. He looked at Lilynette who took another swig from her bottle of Sarsaparilla. She looked at him and she nodded. He smiled. They both knew that Harribel and her gang wanted something from them.

Further behind, Harribel looked at Starrk. He was always sharp about those kinds of things. He knew the moment that they left that she would be following. She wondered if he knew the reason why. She decided to find out. While the "Diamond Sisters" were arguing among themselves, she rode forward.

"It's about him, isn't it?" Starrk asked, not even looking around or slowing down.

"How did you know?"

"Why else would you be following me? Does Ulquiorra know too?"

"He does. I tracked him down first and told him when I found him."

"You didn't find him. He found you," Lilynette said.

Harribel blushed. It was true. You would never find Ulquiorra unless he wanted you to find him. She had a difficult time finding him, but when she "found" him, he had been standing in the middle of the road waiting for her. The only person who ever found Ulquiorra when he didn't want to be found was Starrk.

"I need to find Ulquiorra, again. There's someone whom we need to find," Harribel said.

"Oh, that shouldn't be too hard," Starrk said. "He's right behind us."

"I'm impressed," a monotone voice said. "Of course, I should have realized that you would know where I was."

Harribel gaped at Ulquiorra. He was a short and extremely thin man. His pale face did not show any emotion and his black hair was still as messy as ever. He was dressed completely in black, with the exception of the silver brooch on the left lapel of his long, black coat that was shaped like a bat. The eyes of the brooch were a brilliant emerald green that matched Ulquiorra's own eyes.

"It's good to see you, Ulquiorra," Starrk said.

"I see. Has Tia Harribel informed you of what I have been informed?"

"I didn't get the chance, but he guessed as to whom it concerns," Harribel said.

"I see. Then I will explain further. My informant at Las Noches has informed me that the 'Shadow Lurker' has called a meeting of the Espada who are still willing to fight for him. Apparently, he is preparing to move again. However, he has not forgotten either of you and you are on his list of people who needs to be…'taken care of'," Ulquiorra said.

"So, he's preparing to move again," Starrk muttered.

"Hey, who's your informant?" Lilynette asked.

"I see that the 'Lobato' is as impulsive as other, Starrk," Ulquiorra said.

"What was that?" Lilynette demanded, growing angry.

"Enough, Lilynette, Ulquiorra did not mean to insult you," Starrk said.

"As I was saying," Ulquiorra said, paying no heed to Starrk's comment or Lilynette's question. "My informant has informed me that in only a matter of days, the 'Shadow Lurker' will come to Las Noches. It is agreed that he has a plan of invading the Gensei Provinces and he might even have the numbers to do it this time."

"That's why I wanted to talk to you, Starrk," Harribel said. "You see, the first invasion was nothing more than a test and a way for him to gain more influence among the authorities in the Gensei Provinces. This time though…"

"He'll show his true colors," Starrk whispered. "If that's the case, then he has a chance of taking over the Gensei Provinces."

_Karakura Town_

The woman stayed in the shadows as she made her way to the shop. She knew that time was of the essence and he would have to get the reports as soon as possible. The incident in Kagamino only proved that time was of the essence. The streets leading to the shop were nearly empty even though the sun had a couple of hours left to set. She crept up to the shop and tapped on a side door.

A rather tall and thickly muscled man opened the door. He looked around to make sure the woman was the only one there and gestured her inside. The store helpers, a boy with red hair and a girl with dark hair led her to the secret room where the man she came to see sat, waiting for her.

"Ah, Yoruichi," the man said standing up.

He was tall and thin with messy blonde hair that poked out from under his green and white hat. He held a fan over his mouth to hide the slight frown he made.

"Kisuke," Yoruichi said, lowering her scarf to reveal dark skin with strands of her purple hair falling in front of her face. Her golden eyes seemed to shine like a cat's eyes. "I'm afraid that your suspicions were correct."

"I see," Kisuke Urahara, exile from Fort Seireitei, the main center for the Gotei, said. "Have you shown the report to either Ichigo or Isshin Kurosaki yet?"

"I haven't. They were not available when I went by, so I went straight to you."

"Do you think you have enough proof to convict them?"

"Not yet," Yoruichi said. "The items I've gathered are relatively minor. However, they are hiding something."

"I see. Tessai," he said and the tall, thickly muscled man entered.

"What do you want me to do?" Tessai asked.

"I want you to send a message to the Visored and Xcution Squads. Inform them that 'The Shadows are rising again.' They'll understand."

"Very good, sir, I shall inform Deputies Shinji Hirako and Kugo Ginjo at once."

_I just hope, _Urahara thought as he watched Tessai depart, _that we're not too late._

_Gotei Headquarters, Fort Seireitei_

"Souske Aizen," the old man said from behind his desk.

"Yes sir," Aizen replied, adjusting his glasses.

"Captain Zaraki has proven that his men cannot handle the manhunt for the Espada. They had a chance at catching two of them at Kagamino and failed."

"I see. Who were the two Espada?"

"They were Coyote Starrk of the 'Los Lobos Duo' and Tia Harribel, the 'Blood Star'. Their capture would have been a great relief for the citizens of the Gensei Provinces. However, now that they are within the Gensei Provinces, we must assume that the others would be close behind as well."

"That would be troubling, General Yamamoto."

"Indeed, that's why I decided that you should head the Espada Task Force. Your goal will be to find the Espada as well as any Arrancar loyal to them and arrest them."

"Very well sir, I shall do what I can. Is there anything else you request from me?"

"That is all. You are dismissed, Captain Aizen."

"Very well, sir," Aizen said and walked out of General Yamamoto's office.

_Hogyoku United Bank Headquarters, Karakura Town_

The three men waited for their leader. The youngest was relatively tall with long dark hair. He was sitting in the corner reading a book and using a dagger as a book mark. His face was smooth and looked gentle, but the scar that ran across his left eye spoiled it and betrayed a hint of the cunning that lurked beneath his smooth features.

The second man, who was dressed in a cream-colored suit, had a continuous smile on his face. His face was a combination of a fox and a snake, the look of someone who thought of plots-within-plots-within-plots. His short silver hair shone with the rays of the setting sun. His long, thin fingers tapped on the wooden surface of the window sill as he watched the setting sun.

The third man had a noble look on his dark face. His dark brown hair was tied in several braids that were held back into a cluster by a silver band. He sat at the table and his hands were folded in front of him. He wore a dark grey suit that spoke of formality and a strict adherence to a personal code. He was the type of man who would refuse to compromise under every circumstance. For him, their leader truly understood that justice was ensuring that the evil paid for their sins and the righteous were rewarded.

The door opened as their leader entered the room. The two men not at the table looked up. They made their way to the table and sat in their seats. When their leader sat down, he removed his glasses and smiled at them.

"We may now proceed to the next stage," he said as he sat at the table.

"I take it that you got the promotion you wanted," the young man said.

"I did, Shukuro Tsukishima. Gin Ichimaru, how are things on your end?"

"The number of people putting their money in accounts at the Hogyoku United Bank has increased significantly. We now have locations in almost every town and city within the Gensei Provinces. The second stage will be risky. However that's where you come in, Chief Justice Tosen."

"Indeed," Tosen said. "However, I have convinced many judges in Central 46 that restrictive banking laws will be counter-productive. However, two of my…colleagues…have made it clear that they wish to protect the people of the Gensei Provinces more than the bankers. I have given their names to our agent and I have already hand-picked two judges to replace them."

"How many judges will side with us?"

"At the moment, we only need two more to achieve the votes needed to pass or reject a bill from becoming law. However, as soon as my two hand-picked judges take the oath, we will have the numbers."

"I see," their leader said, smiling. "Tomorrow, I'll head to Las Noches to give the Espada who are with us the details of the plan. Shukuro, I want you to make sure that the privatized squads do not get wind of this."

"What about my former comrades from the Xcution Squad or those from the Visored Squad?"

"They are not important. They lack the numbers and the influence that the other privatized squads have."

"I see," Shukuro said.

"However, we may have a slight problem. I was informed by General Yamamoto that Coyote Starrk and Tia Harribel escaped capture in Kagamino. There's a chance that Ulquiorra will meet up with them."

"They're Espada," Chief Justice Tosen said. "No one will believe them."

"What if they tell someone who will believe them?" Gin asked. "Someone like Ichigo Kurosaki, perhaps? Or what if they inform Kisuke Urahara?"

"They may pose a problem, but we can deal with them later. We'll let the Arrancar who have sided with us to take care of them."

With that the four rose from the table. As the other three departed, Souske Aizen, a.k.a. "The Shadow Lurker" smiled.

_The Sabaku Desert_

They made camp just as the sun was sinking below the horizon. Ulquiorra tied his completely black horse, Murciélago, to a nearby Velvet Mesquite tree. Starrk was gathering wood for the fire while Lilynette was taking out cans of food from their packs for dinner. Apacci, Sung-Sun, and Mila Rose were getting the bed rolls and blankets ready. Harribel sat on a rock, watching the sun sink beneath the waves of sand and the jagged cliffs.

"Admiring the view?" Starrk asked as he sat down next to her.

"I'm just thinking if we can make it in time," Harribel said.

"The better question is: can we convince any of them?"

"Do you think we can convince any of them?"

"I don't know. We can only try. But even if we have to stand alone, we must stop Aizen."

"It's just like those seven gunslingers that were hired by that village a while back," Harribel said.

"That's one way of looking at it. But let's hope that we _all_ survive."

They watched in silence as the sun sank below the horizon. In the distance, wolves began to howl at the crimson sunset.

**End of Chapter One**


	2. Chapter 2: Dealings

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 2: Dealings**

_Central 46 Rotunda, Karakura Town_

"Tosen's gone too far," one of the Chief Justices said.

"I agree. As soon as this bill comes before the Court, we must make sure that it doesn't pass," the other Chief Justice replied.

"I agree. It's one thing to pass laws that permit merchants and bankers running their industries the way they wish and yet have protocols to protect the people. However, this is giving them absolute control, without any protocols. They could easily take advantage of their patrons. The thing that's even more sickening is Tosen's arguments."

"How is he trying to justify this law?"

"He says that the true path to justice is to ensure that the right people are in control. He thinks that the best way to do this is to allow those in control absolute free rein."

"That's nonsense. Doesn't he realize that if they're given free rein to the bankers and merchants then many will take advantage of those who trust them? How will they be prosecuted? Or is he relying on their collapse to be punishment enough?"

"Tosen's up to something. I've contacted a certain man in town and informed him of the situation. He's having things checked out and when he's gathered enough information, he'll give me his report."

"Have you heard any word?"

"So far, I've only received a report that has confirmed my suspicions. Tosen is working with someone who wants these laws to pass. My bet is that Gin Ichimaru is behind it, but so far they've found no evidence about who he's conspiring with."

"However, he is conspiring with someone."

"Yes, but even then they haven't gotten enough proof to convict him."

"In the meantime, we should tread carefully. When is this bill supposed to come before the Court?"

"It's supposed to be up in the next couple of days. By that time, we should have enough evidence to convict Tosen of conspiracy and bribery. Perhaps we can even get Gin Ichimaru and whoever else is involved."

"That…I cannot allow," someone said from the shadows.

"What the…who's there?" one of the Chief Justices called out.

"Oh…someone you don't know," the voice said again.

"Stop hiding in the shadows. Show us who you are," the other Chief Justice cried out.

"I don't see why not. I've already determined by your descriptions that you two are my targets."

As he was finishing speaking, the man stepped from behind one of the tall columns. The two men looked at him, surprised. He was medium height and rather thin. His light purple hair was rather messy and a scar ran from his hairline on his right forehead to the corner of his left eye. His long, black collar was pulled up to cover his lower face.

"What did you say?"

"I said that you two are my targets."

"Who hired you?"

"Who do you think?"

"Did Tosen hire you, or did someone else?"

"Well, since you're about to die...I was hired by the 'Shadow Lurker', but his actual name is Captain Souske Aizen of the fifth squad."

At the name, the two Chief Justices stood in silence. They were unable to comprehend what they had just been told. Aizen, the hero of Karakura Town, the man who had saved them from the Espada four months before, was the "Shadow Lurker"? They could not believe it.

"First, allow me to introduce myself before I kill you. I am Hanza Nukui, Chief Commander of the Kage no Tanken Squad."

"You're from the Shadow Dagger Squad?"

"That's right, now then," Hanza said as he moved his hands slightly. "It's time to die."

In a quick, fluid motion, he released the throwing knives. The blades embedded in the two Chief Justices in the head. He walked over to the two corpses and plucked the blades from their heads. He lowered his collar and rubbed his jaw. He wondered if he should have kept them alive a little longer.

"You shouldn't have killed them until you found out more information," someone said from behind him.

He turned and saw Shukuro Tsukishima leaning against a pillar. He was reading another one of his books. Hanza was not surprised to see that it was _The Prince_ by Machiavelli. Shukuro put his dagger back into the book and closed it.

"Master Shukuro, I only received orders to kill them. I did not receive orders to gain information from them first."

"That may be. However, whoever they hired will be made aware of this and they could pose a threat. You need to find out who they hired while I inform Gin Ichimaru and Chief Justice Tosen that they are being watched. You might find that information in their offices, so make sure to check before you leave tonight. If you find it, bring it to me tomorrow in the afternoon at my office."

"Is that an order?"

"It is an order."

"Very well, I shall comply. What should I do about the bodies?"

"Just leave them there. It should serve as a…message to those who would dare stand in our way. It should also help keep the other Chief Justices in line. Now then, I must report back to Lord Aizen."

"Very well, and I shall fulfill my duties," Hanza said with a slight bow as Shukuro walked away.

_Sheriff's Office, Karakura Town_

Ichigo Kurosaki looked at the message again. He could not believe that three soldiers from Captain Zaraki's squad were defeated. He looked over at Shinji Hirako, head of the Visored Squad and then to Kugo Ginjo, head of the Xcution Squad. Out of all of the privatized squads, much more polite than "mercenaries", their squads were the ones he trusted the most. They had been rather moody since Tessai came in and delivered the message from Urahara.

"Are you guys alright?" Ichigo asked.

"Hmm," Kugo said, looking up.

Kugo took out a comb and ran it through his dark hair, combing it back to the nape of his neck. Shinji looked up, frowning. He ran his fingers through his blonde hair. The two looked at each other and then sighed.

"No, we're not," Shinji said.

"That's right. Tessai's message means that he's moving again," Kugo said.

"I see," Ichigo said, as he took a swig from the bottle of brandy next to him. "So, the 'Shadow Lurker' is moving again. Do you think he'll use the Espada again?"

"Without a doubt," Shinji said. "After all, they nearly beat us. If Aizen hadn't shown up…"

"I know," Ichigo said.

"At any rate, we'll have to act as though we don't know that the 'Shadow Lurker' is on the move. This might be our opportunity to catch him," Shinji said.

He rubbed his chin, thinking. He wasn't quite sure of what to think about Aizen. He seemed to appear out of nowhere and proved himself a force to be reckoned with. However, something didn't feel right about Aizen, even though he did save his life.

_Karakura Town, Four Months Before_

_Ichigo was pinned down. His opponent, Ulquiorra "Night Bringer" Schiffer was too quick. One moment he could be shooting from behind a pile of hay in front of the barn and at the next he could be shooting from the porch of the General Store. Plus, he was extremely accurate. Ichigo felt the blood from the wound in his left shoulder oozing down his arm, staining his white shirt._

_"Damn it," he muttered._

_"I will give you one last chance, Sheriff Kurosaki," Ulquiorra said in his monotone voice. "Surrender or I will be forced to kill you."_

_"I can't do that," Ichigo cried out. _

_He could hear gunfire from the other areas in the town where the Gotei Captains and the squads were fighting the other Espada, but Ichigo was alone. He had been with Uryu Ishida who was trying to crawl to his gun, but his wounds were severe, if not lethal. He had been separated from his deputies and from his father who were busy elsewhere. Even though there were ten Espada, and a little girl for some reason, they were more than a match for the defenders. Hell, even that little girl could be lethal with her explosives._

_He had seen many of the Gotei defenders fall quickly and they were either dead or too badly wounded to fight. That left only the Captains and the Visored Squad to fight. He had been looking for the one who kidnapped Orihime Inoue two weeks earlier and he found him. However, Ulquiorra appeared as though he had been waiting for him. Uryu tried to shoot him from behind, but Ulquiorra aimed his gun at Uryu's hiding spot and fired without even looking away from Ichigo. He remembered seeing Uryu fall from the balcony to the street below, badly wounded and his legs broken._

_Now Ulquiorra was giving him another chance to surrender. However, Ichigo Kurosaki was not someone who gave up under any circumstances._

_"Why do you continue to fight a hopeless battle?" Ulquiorra asked. "Do you fight because of the soul? If that's the case, then the soul only causes you pain and suffering. It is because of the soul…" Suddenly, Ulquiorra was behind him, aiming his gun at Ichigo's head, Ichigo turned to face him, his eyes wide with shock. "…that you will die."_

_Just as Ichigo thought that he was about to die, a gunshot rang out. Ulquiorra's eyes widened in surprise and he collapsed. Ichigo saw a man he never saw before standing before him with a smoking revolver in his hand. His brown hair was swept back and his glasses reflected the sun. He had two others with him. One was dark skinned and appeared to be blind while the other had silver hair and was grinning at him._

_"You must be Sheriff Ichigo Kurosaki," the brown-haired man said. "I am Souske Aizen. I see that we've made it in time."_

_Senkaimon Express Rail Station_

The Jigokucho train sat in the station, waiting for its scheduled departure time. Souske Aizen sat in one of the private cars reading through the instructions that General Yamamoto gave him. He smiled slightly at remembering the message he received from Shukuro earlier that evening. The two Chief Justices who were giving Tosen so much trouble had been dealt with. He regretted that he could not be there to see the reaction when it was discovered that two Chief Justices were killed in the Rotunda.

However, he was troubled with the information that one of them had hired someone to investigate both Kaname Tosen and Gin Ichimaru. If that information got out to the public, then someone would tie him to it. He knew that he would have to separate himself from Gin and Kaname if he had to, or even kill them if he had to. His plans had progressed beyond the Rubicon point. He could not turn back and he could not make any drastic changes.

Now, he was entering the stage where he no longer had full control. It was a point that he was dreading, but it was also necessary. He wondered how many of the Espada would join him. He knew five for certain: Grimmjow, Nnoitora, Zommari, Aaroniero, and Yammy. If he had his way, those five would have been the only survivors. Unfortunately that part of the plan had failed. He thought he killed Ulquiorra and Harribel, only to discover a month after the assault on Karakura Town that they were still alive. Baraggan and Szayel Aporro had fled before he or Gin or Tosen could get to them. Then there was Starrk.

Aizen touched his right side where Starrk had shot him. Aizen believed that he had Starrk figured out and under his control, but he was wrong. He did not like being wrong and he did not like to be shown that he could bleed. He wanted to face Starrk and kill him. During his whole life, he had only been shot once and it was by Starrk.

He felt the jolt as the train started to move. He looked out as the train crossed the bridge over the Senkaimon River. Below, he watched the river rafts pulling passengers and supplies that were heading towards Fort Seireitei across the river. During his journey to the Zaraki Outpost, he would think over what he was going to say to the other Espada. He already had a good idea where he could find Baraggan, and he would make a deal with Baraggan. However, after he crushed Karakura Town for good, he would get rid of all of his pawns. In the end, he would be the only one left standing. He would make sure of it. He picked up the first sheet in the file and glared at it.

"You'll pay for daring to defy God," he whispered.

During the trip, Aizen's mind began to focus on something other than his plans for the Espada and Baraggan. He began to think of ways of making him suffer. He suddenly remembered the girl who always hung around him. He smiled. He knew exactly how to make Coyote Starrk suffer.

_Precipice Mountains_

The sun was beginning to rise. The young man yawned, knowing that his watch would be over soon. He did not see his fellow watcher around and he was glad. Knowing Avirama Redder, he was probably performing some kind of morning ritual that involved a lot of yelling and stomping. He picked got up and bent over to pick up his long brown coat with a stitched crimson dragon winding around the left arm. However, as he bent over, he saw something moving out of the corner of his eye.

He looked, but could only see the shadows. At first he thought that he had just been seeing things. He looked closer. His golden eyes widened a little when he saw the figure, lurking the shadows. He brought out his revolver and moved swiftly, with a cat-like stealth, towards the figure. He hid behind a boulder near the figure was busy leaning on the ground checking for any signs. He took the opportunity to strike.

However, as he rushed out from behind his hiding place, the figure turned with lightning-quick speed and both were facing the barrels of each other's revolvers, the hammers cocked. To his surprise, he was facing a very slim and petite woman who was only a few inches shorter than he was. Her black hat concealed her eyes. Her loose jeans were dirty at the knees. She was wearing a black vest over a white, sleeveless undershirt. Her gun belt was of black leather with a dull silver buckle.

"Who're you?" he asked.

"I should ask the same question. Now, tell me, who are _you_?" she asked with a snap at the last word.

"I'm Ggio Vega. For the last time, who are you?

The woman standing in front of him smirked a little. Ggio felt himself becoming angry, thinking that she was mocking him. She cocked her head slightly and pushed her hat up enough to show her intense and predatory grey eyes.

"Ggio Vega," she said as though tasting the name. "That's a rather interesting name. I'm Sui-Feng."

"Huh, that's an interesting name," Ggio said with a slight smirk. "Anyways, what're ya doing here?"

"Oh, I was looking for a rattler. They're very poisonous and my partner…well, he's absolutely terrified of any poisonous animal, especially snakes. He's been rather annoying lately, so I decided that he deserves to have a good scare."

"Ain't ya afraid of 'em rattlers? One bite from 'em and you're vulture food," he said.

He pointed to a cluster of nearby vultures that were looking at them. Sui-Feng looked at him and rolled her eyes. She then put her focus back on the rattlesnake she found. It rattled its tail and was preparing to strike. With a lightning-quick motion, she grabbed the snake and dragged it out from its hiding spot. Her hand was wrapped at the base of the snake's head and her thumb pressed down on its head.

"Not really," she said, showing Ggio the snake. Ggio didn't back away and he simply looked at the snake. "Anyways," Sui-Feng continued, "I've learned that there are other things in life that should be feared."

"Whatever," Ggio said. "Anyways, I better get back to my posse before they start…"

"HEY, RUNT, WHERE'D YOU RUN OFF TO?" someone yelled out. "I'M GONNA LEAVE YA BEHIND IF WE HAVE TO!"

"Shit," Ggio said, running to grab the coat he dropped.

"Sounds like your posse's missing you," Sui-Feng said smirking.

"HEY WHERE ARE YA?"

"I'M COMIN' REDDER," Ggio cried out. "Well, it was nice to meet ya. Where are ya headin' anyways?"

"Oh…here and there," Sui-Feng said. "Why did you ask?"

"Oh, no real reason. Maybe you'd like to come with us. I'd like to get to know ya."

"In your dreams," she smirked before walking off.

"Oh yeah, well…"

"HEY, WHERE ARE YA? MOVE IT OR YOU GET LEFT BEHIND," Redder cried out.

"Damn it…I guess I'll see ya later," he said and rushed back to his group.

"I'm sure we will," Sui-Feng called out after him.

She looked at the rattler and made her way back to her partner. So far, the mission was going well.

"Oh yes, I'm sure we'll see each other again," she said smiling, "Arrancar."

_The Sabaku Desert_

Starrk woke up and saw Ulquiorra kneeling by the fire. The horses were tied up, but the girls were nowhere in sight. He saw that Ulquiorra was busy making breakfast of eggs, beans, and sliced salted ham with coffee. Starrk stretched and yawned.

"Where are the girls?" he asked.

"They are at the nearby river, getting cleaned. They do not wish to be disturbed."

"Right," Starrk whispered.

His head suddenly perked up and he smiled. He leapt up onto a rock outcropping staring into the desert. It was as though he was waiting for something. In the distance, he heard a wolf howling. Grinning, Starrk returned the wolf's greeting. Ulquiorra looked at him and then returned his gaze to the fire and the cooking breakfast.

Starrk unsheathed the dagger he had around his thigh. The hilt was shaped like a running wolf with the blade coming out of the wolf's gaping mouth. He traced the words engraved on the blade, "Dejar que Los Lobos están libres y aullar" ("Let the Wolves run free and howl.") and smiled. With the seven of them together, he felt free.

_Majime River_

The girls waded in the creek, allowing the fresh water to wash away the dirt from their skin. Lilynette, who was busy splashing and laughing with the "Diamond Sisters", stopped when she heard the howling coming from the other side of the rise. She grinned and let out a high-pitched cub howl. When she was done, she began to laugh.

"What was that all about?" Mila Rose asked, as she waded to Harribel.

"Oh…the wolves are howling," Harribel said.

"Huh?" Mila Rose said, confused.

"Never mind, you'll have to see it to believe it. I would say, tomorrow will be the perfect opportunity," Harribel said.

"Uh…whatever you say."

"ARE YOU JOKING? MY BOOBS ARE BIGGER, SUNG-SUN!" Apacci shrieked.

Sung-Sun held her hand to her mouth and giggled slightly. Lilynette was laughing at them and she splashed water towards them. Sung-Sun and Apacci backed away from the water, their argument forgotten.

"Oh that's it," Apacci said, smiling. "Somebody's gonna get…SPLASHED!" she yelled and splashed water towards Lilynette.

The three were in an all-out splash war. Their laughter filled the brightening morning sky. Mila Rose and Harribel smiled at them.

"What do you think, Mila Rose, want to join in?"

"Sure thing, Harribel," Mila Rose replied.

They grinned at each other and joined in. For the rest of their bathing time, their laughter filled the air. Starrk smiled when she heard it, glad to hear Lilynette really laughing again. Ulquiorra only shrugged it off as he finished fixing breakfast.

The five lay on the soft sand on their blankets, allowing the morning sand to dry their naked bodies. Harribel looked on either side of her, smiling. She knew that she was truly with family.

_Precipice Mountains_

"Omaeda, get up, we're leaving," Sui-Feng said as she returned.

"Huh? Whoa, what happened to you? You look like you went a couple of rounds with dust devil or something," Omaeda said.

"Shut up," Sui-Feng said, brushing the dirt off of her clothes. "For your information, I was getting you a companion. I would hate for you to get too lonely while I'm away."

"You mean like a puppy?" Omaeda asked, his eyes twinkling with joy. "I love puppies. They're so huggable and lovable and adorable. You know, I have a dog back home! Although…he's kinda old and going blind and he…pees on the carpet."

Sui-Feng rolled her eyes. _God, he's such an idiot,_ she thought.

"No, I didn't get you a damn puppy," she said and reached into her messenger bag. "Now close your eyes and hold out your hands."

"Ooh, I love surprises," Omaeda said, barely containing his joy. "Is it a rabbit? I love rabbits. I'll name it 'Chappy' and I'll take care of it."

"Whatever," Sui-Feng said and placed the rattler in his hands. "Open your eyes."

Omaeda opened his eyes, and shrieked like a little girl. He sent the snake flying as he scrambled to take refuge behind his incredibly fat horse, Gegetsuburi. Sui-Feng laughed at the sight and saw the rattler trying to escape. She reached down and picked it up. The snake was not pleased with being hindered from getting away and so it sunk its fangs into her hand. Sui-Feng cocked her head slightly and smiled at the snake.

"Sorry to break it to you, but…that ain't gonna work," she said. "Your poison won't work on me like it would on Omaeda."

"Hey, why'd you do that?" Omaeda shouted. "You know I hate snakes. I'm just like Indiana Jones."

"That's the only thing you have in common with Indiana Jones," Sui-Feng said, rolling her eyes.

The snake released its hold on Sui-Feng's hand and she lowered it to the ground. She released her grip and the snake slithered away to crawl under a nearby log. She saw that Omaeda was still cowering behind Gegetsuburi. She let out a sharp whistle and her brown and white horse, Suzumebachi, approached.

"That's a good girl," Sui-Feng said as her hand stroked down the black lightning-like mark that ran down her horse's face.

"So, what happened?" Omaeda asked. Sui-Feng looked at him and smiled.

"I've made contact. We now have a trail to follow. Let's go, you coward."

"Hey, I'm not a coward. I just don't like snakes."

"We'll see about that," Sui-Feng said, mounting her horse.

Omaeda only shrugged and he mounted Gegetsuburi. Sui-Feng took the lead and the two followed the trail that Ggio Vega had given her.

_Karakura Town_

"Ichigo, wake up," Rukia shouted as she slammed a rather thick file down onto the Sheriff's desk.

Ichigo, who was leaning back in his chair, dozing, woke up suddenly and tipped his chair over. He fell with a yelp and crashed to the floor. One of his two deputies, Rukia Kuchiki, looked down at him and shook her head. His other deputy, Renji Abarai, looked over at him while drinking his morning cup of coffee.

He always wondered why Rukia worked with him. After all, her family owned and operated Chappy's Smiles, the makers of fine products like Chappy's Old Fashioned Sarsaparilla and Chappy's Choco-Caramel Drops. Of course, her brother, Byakuya, was a Captain in the Gotei. Maybe that was a part of it.

"What is it?" Ichigo demanded, getting up and rubbing his head.

"New information about the 'Los Lobos Duo' and 'Blood Star' and the 'Diamond Sisters'," Rukia said.

"Is this about the incident yesterday involving Ikaku and Yumichika?" he asked.

"Don't forget, Maki-Maki was there too," Renji said.

"No, this is new information," Rukia said. "We just received a telegram. They were spotted in the Sabaku Desert near the Majime River."

"Wait a minute, then that would mean that…"

"Yes, they're heading our way," Rukia said, smiling.

"Wait, is it just them? What about the other Espada?" Renji asked.

"Well, at this point in time, it's very difficult to say. The informant did mention seeing seven horses, but only six figures."

"What did the seventh horse look like?" Ichigo asked, very interested.

"It was entirely black," Rukia said, looking at the file.

"Ulquiorra," Ichigo whispered.

"That's what I think too. I think that 'Night Bringer' is with them. However, there were no sign of any other Espada or Arrancar," Rukia said.

"Maybe they divided their forces. They'll probably launch a pronged attack," Renji said.

"No," Ichigo said. "The only way to get from the Outer Provinces here is through the Garganta Pass. But something's going on and they know something."

"Ichigo, I know that look," Renji said. "You think that 'Shadow Lurker' is on the move, don't you?"

"Ha, if he is, he'll fail again, just like last time," Rukia said.

At that moment the door opened and Akon came rushing in. His face was contorted in terror. They saw that he was clutching a message with the Central 46 seal of two octagons, one within the other, on it.

"Akon, what happened?" Renji asked.

Ichigo could only stare. Terror seized him. He knew that something bad was going to happen, but he never expected it to happen this soon. The message that Tessai delivered from Urahara was right. The Shadows were rising again.

"There's been a double murder," Akon gasped.

"What?" Renji asked, shocked.

"Where did it happen?" Rukia asked.

"It happened at the Central 46 Rotunda, didn't it?" Ichigo asked, gesturing to the seal on the message.

"But…but that's impossible," Renji said. "Akon, please say that it didn't happen there."

"I'm afraid that Sheriff Kurosaki's right. Two Chief Justices were found dead this morning. Their offices were ransacked, and as far as they know nothing was missing."

Rukia and Renji looked shocked by what they were being told. It was not possible. There was no way that two Chief Justices were murdered, and in the Rotunda of all places. The Central 46 Rotunda was supposed to be the most secure area in the Gensei Provinces outside of Fort Seireitei. They both looked at Ichigo, but he didn't say anything.

"Akon, give the message, and you may go back to your post."

"Uh…yes sir," he said, handing the message to Ichigo, and rushed out.

"Ichigo, what's going on?" Rukia asked.

"I guess I better tell you," Ichigo said, looking at his two deputies. "I'm afraid…I have some bad news."

_Zaraki Outpost_

Out of all the military outposts throughout the Gensei Provinces, the Zaraki Outpost was perhaps the most hastily put together and the most intimidating-looking. The fortification itself was nothing more than a wall made out of wooden stakes that rose ten feet at the top of a sand and rocky hill with another wall at the base. The hillside leading to the first wall was covered with sharp stakes. The only ways to the front gate was by a wooden bridge across a deep ditch filled with wooden stakes, and then up a narrow path that wound up the lower portion of the hill.

Souske Aizen wiped his forehead with his handkerchief as he stepped down the platform steps where he disembarked. He was glad that he wouldn't be here long. He walked across the wooden bridge with his bag in hand. The Gotei soldiers stood at attention and saluted him. He saluted back, but only out of habit. When he reached the lower gate, he held out his pass to the bald soldier who took it.

"Oh yeah, Captain Zaraki's been expecting ya," Ikaku said.

"Is that any way for you to address your superior?" Aizen asked.

"Hey, this is Squad 11 territory. The only 'superior' here is Captain Zaraki and the…Lieutenant," he said with a slight shiver. "Anyways, come on."

Aizen shook his head. He made a mental note to have this soldier killed once he was in power. Ikaku led him through the gate and then up a winding pathway that ran around the hill. Aizen noticed that from every angle, it was well protected by the watchtowers at the top of the hill and by a series of traps. When they reached the top of the path, there was a small court area with the gate standing open. Yumichika stood, supposedly at attention, but he was slouching. He still wasn't over his revolver being dented by Harribel.

"Hey, Yumichika," Ikaku cried out. "The guest from Fort Seireitei arrived."

Yumichika stood up and approached Aizen. He gave a slight nod of his head and then turned, gesturing for Aizen to follow. Aizen realized that he would not be able to get any respect from this bunch. However, their fighting prowess was legendary among the Gotei, and they might be useful. However, as soon as they exhausted their use, they would be discarded like the trash they were.

When Aizen entered through the gate, he saw a training yard about 300 square yards. At the far side of the court were the barracks with the Captain's quarters on the second level of the tallest one. He saw the stables where about 50 horses were kept and the storehouses. He saw one newly built…shack…with a sign that read "MAKI-MAKI SALOON". The training yard was filled with Gotei soldiers who were doing their morning exercises.

They made their way to the barracks and Yumichika led the way up the staircase until they reached the door to Captain Kenpachi Zaraki's quarters. He knocked.

"Yeah?" a rough voice asked.

"Captain, the visitor from Fort Seireitei has arrived," Yumichika said.

"Send him in," Kenpachi said in his rough voice.

Yumichika opened the door and stood aside as Aizen walked in. Kenpachi Zaraki was a tall and muscular man. His tattered Captain's coat was draped on the larger bed against the wall. The other bed, located further down on the other side of an alcove wall, was smaller. He sat at the desk looking over some of the paperwork. He glanced at Aizen out of the corner of his eyes and gestured for Yumichika to leave. Yumichika gave a deep bow before closing the door as he left.

"Your men need to learn to show respect their superiors," Aizen said.

"They do…they show respect to me and to Yachiru."

"That's not what I meant. They need to show proper respect to other officers."

"You need to get something straight. This isn't Fort Seireitei where they have to kneel and bow to every officer who comes their way. This is the Zaraki Outpost. This is Squad 11 territory and here, they only show respect to those who deserve it."

"And I don't deserve respect? Do I need to remind you who saved your men at Karakura Town?"

"As far as I'm concerned, you're timing at Karakura Town was a little too…perfect."

"Just what are you trying to say?"

"Oh nothing," Kenpachi said, grinning. "I've been instructed by Old Man Yama to give you a horse while you go out into the Hueco Mundo Wastes."

"And do you know why I'm going out to that God forsaken land?"

"Sure, you're the new head of the Espada Task Force. However, that does not mean I have to cooperate with you any further than what Old Man Yama told me to."

Aizen's eyes narrowed. He wondered if he should just kill Kenpachi now and be done with it. However, he knew that Kenpachi could be difficult and he was not going to put his plans in jeopardy just because he lost his temper. That was when the door opened and a little girl with pink hair came rushing in and leapt onto Kenpachi's shoulder.

"Hey Kenny, hey Sneaky," she shouted and giggled.

"Ah Yachiru, did you have fun playing with Ikaku while we were talking?"

"Yeah, Baldy and I had a great time."

Aizen looked at the little girl. Hatred and fear boiled in him. She had called him "Sneaky" and he wondered how much Kenpachi figured out. Even though Kenpachi mostly thought with his revolvers, he could be intelligent and see through people and was therefore a threat. During his time among the Captains, Aizen knew which ones could become a threat to him later on, and he knew that almost all of them could become a threat.

"Now then, you want to get going, don't you?" Kenpachi asked.

"I do. The sooner I begin my mission, the sooner I can end it."

"Alright, you can have your pick of any horse except for the 50 in the stable up here. You'll have to go to the outer barracks to get one. Is that understood?"

"I understand, Captain Zaraki," Aizen said.

As he went to the outer barracks and picked the strongest and fastest horse he could find there, Aizen began to think of the many ways he would like to kill Kenpachi. He didn't bother looking at Ikaku who was cowering in a corner of the stable, trying to wipe his head clean from the massive amount of saliva on it.

When he watched Aizen leave, Kenpachi walked back to his desk. Yachiru sat on her bed, swinging her feet over the edge and holding a bag full of Chappy's Fruity Rock Candy.

"Hey, Kenny, are you gonna let the others know?"

"They already know that Aizen's here. However, we can't interfere with him."

"What do ya think he's up to?"

"I don't know. All that I know is…I don't trust him."

_Las Noches_

Grimmjow leaned back against the cliff wall. He fingered the medallion around his neck as he watched his gang mingle with some of the other regular Arrancars and the fraccions of the others. He did not see the dark-skinned man approaching him. He was dressed like some kind of preacher and he was fingering the gold cross he wore around his neck.

"Todas las cosas servir a algo más grande," he said fingering the message on his cross. "All things serve something greater."

"Come again, Zommari," Grimmjow said.

"All things serve something greater. You and I are proof of that. Lord Aizen would be pleased that you remained loyal to his cause."

"Whatever," Grimmjow said.

He knew that Zommari would never betray Aizen. However, he didn't know just how many of the others he led to singing Aizen's praises. Out of all of the Espada gathered, Zommari was the most influential because he actually talked with the others and also supplied them with the drug called "Brujería". Most of the Arrancars in Las Noches were already addicted to a combination of Brujería and peyote that they called "Amor".

"At any rate, it is good that you have rejoined us, Grimmjow," Zommari said and he walked away.

"I see that Zommari welcomed you back as well," Shawlong said and he sat beside his commander.

"That bastard has too much influence over the others," Grimmjow said. "Yammy's too stupid to realize it and Aaroniero doesn't seem to give a shit. Nnoitora is too eager to fight to even bother listening. Shit, why didn't I think about getting some influence on the others while I had the chance?"

"It's not your fault," Shawlong said. "None of us truly knew that Aizen would try to betray us."

"Starrk knew," Grimmjow said. "Hell, he even warned me to watch out for Aizen before Kurosaki and his group did their little raid to retrieve that girl. But all I could think about was getting revenge on Ichigo Kurosaki for what he did to me. I was such an idiot. So, how's Zommari dealing with Aizen's betrayal?"

"He says that it was Lord Aizen's test to see who among us was worthy of inheriting the new world he was creating."

"What a load of bullshit."

"Unfortunately, a lot of the others believe him."

"Then we'll have to get rid of him, and soon."

"That may be a bit harder than it was before. He has his own fraccion now, and they are extremely dangerous and extremely loyal to him. We'll have to wait for the right opportunity."

"I know when," Grimmjow said.

"What do you mean?"

"I have a feeling that Aizen wants us to attack Karakura Town again. To persuade me to remain, he said that I would have an opportunity to get back at Ichigo. Little does he know that his 'opportunity' will also allow me to take him out for good," Grimmjow said, grinning.

_La Sala del Rey_

It was a secret place. Located at the very edges of the Precipice Mountains, this natural fortress was the perfect place for the "King of the Wastes" to have his throne. The six men surrounded the natural dais where an older man sat. He was wearing a long, black coat with gold buttons and trimming of royal purple. The silver fur lining the collar and the cuffs of his short sleeves shone in the light of the sun.

The old man traced the engraving of the golden arm band he wore just below his right elbow.

"Todas las coasas a donde en su Tiempo, pero la Gloria es para las Edades," he said to his six followers. "Remember that men. 'All things whither in their Time, but Glory is for the Ages.' That bastard thought that he could take away our Glory and our Pride by betraying us. However, we'll show him that you, the Crimson Dragons, and I, the King of the Wastes, refuse to kneel to anyone."

"Yes, sir," they replied.

When Baraggan was done with this morning's "sermon", Ggio Vega thought about Sui-Feng. He thought about her grey eyes and that sadistic streak she had. He found himself wanting to know more about her. He didn't know if it was attraction or if it was because he had a gnawing suspicion that he heard her name before. He thought about it and then realized where he had heard her name before. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Holy shit…I thought I heard that name before."

"Hey, Ggio, what's wrong? Did you finally realize you're actually a girl?" a large blonde man wearing a loose white shirt and black pants over his massive bulk asked.

"Shut up Nirgge. If you want to talk about someone being a woman, look at Cuuhlhourne," he said.

Nirgge looked where Ggio was pointing. He saw the long, purple haired man walking around wearing extremely tight pants with sparkles made to look like roses on both sides of the seat of his pants and a tight violet vest. Nirgge looked away at the sight. A desire to vomit came over him and he rushed away. Ggio took the opportunity to rush to Baraggan and knelt before him.

"What is it, Ggio?" Baraggan asked.

"I'm sorry my Lord, but…I think I encountered Sui-Feng this morning."

"You mean that bitch that almost killed me?"

"Yes, my Lord," Ggio said. "I'm sorry I should have told you sooner. However, I just realized who she is."

"Hmm, I see. That means that she's most likely tracking us now. I should have realized that the Gotei would send out the Commander of the Onmitsukido Squad, their Stealth Force, to help track the Espada."

"Sir, this might be the perfect opportunity to get your revenge."

"Fool, the only way to take out someone from the Onmitsukido Squad is to take them by surprise."

"Sir, I almost took her by surprise earlier."

"Idiot, she's the Commander of the Gotei Stealth Force. She wanted you to 'almost take her by surprise'."

Ggio nodded and lowered his head in shame. He understood what Baraggan was telling him. He had given her a trail to follow. However, if he could take her by surprise, then he could repair the situation.

"LORD BARAGGAN, SOMEONE'S COMING!" someone cried out.

Baraggan looked up at Avirama Redder, who was wearing a pair of deerskin pants and two deerskin sleeves. He wore a necklace made from eagle feathers and pieces of turquoise. His face and body had their usual red paint.

"Who is it?" Baraggan asked.

"I don't know, but I think it might be Aizen."

"So, the fool is coming to me," Baraggan said.

"Sir, I can take care of him if you want," a tall, thin man with long blonde hair said.

"No, Findor, he is mine to take care of," Baraggan said as he mounted his ashy grey horse, Arrogante and rode out to meet him.

Thoughts raced through Baraggan's mind. He knew that he should kill the bastard while he was alone. However, a part of him was curious about why Aizen would come out here. Baraggan kept a close look out to make sure that Gin or Kaname weren't lurking out there.

"I'm alone," Aizen said, holding up both hands.

"Where are your two minions?"

"They're back at Karakura Town, doing what I tell them to."

"That doesn't surprise me," Baraggan said and drew one of his ornate revolvers and aimed it at Aizen's head and cocked the hammer. "Now tell me why I shouldn't kill you right here and now like the dog you really are."

"Because, I can help you become more powerful than ever before."

"Nice try, but you used that same reason before. I'll give you one last chance before I blow your fucking head off and leave you to the vultures."

"I understand why you are angry. However, my 'betrayal' was only to ensure that I would gain a position where I could aid those who remain loyal to me or to those who I need to succeed. I need your skill Baraggan and the skills of your Crimson Dragons."

"Oh, so you admit that you need us. Then why didn't you make me the Primera in your army? Why did you make that nobody the Primera?"

"I thought I could trust Starrk with that position. However, I was proven wrong."

"That still doesn't explain how the Gotei knew we were attacking."

"Actually, it does. You may think that I informed the Gotei about the attack, but it wasn't me. It was Starrk who informed them."

"What?" Baraggan asked, surprised and confused.

Even though he despised Starrk for being made the Primera Espada instead of him, Baraggan found it very difficult to believe that Starrk would betray his comrades. Even though he kept mostly to himself or with that girl and Harribel, he did get along with some of the others like Ulquiorra and Grimmjow. He would also take time to help train the fraccion and lesser Arrancars. If anyone was unlikely to betray them, it was Starrk. However, when he thought about it, people like Starrk did make excellent traitors since they were usually the last ones you thought were capable of betrayal.

"That's right. Starrk was the one who betrayed us. He betrayed you because he was afraid that you would prove to be mightier than he. If I had put you in the position of the Primera, then maybe we would have succeeded the first time."

"Why should I believe you?"

"Because I'm here, alone, unarmed, and completely at your mercy. Starrk isn't and neither are Harribel and Ulquiorra."

"You're saying that they were also involved?"

"I didn't think they were, but upon reflection…"

"You realized that they were helping him betray us."

"That's right. They betrayed us. They trampled those things we hold dear. They spat on my desire to build a new world where the Arrancars were in charge. They scoffed at your Pride. That's why I came here. I need you to help me get vengeance against them."

"If you succeed, what do I get in return? Vengeance sounds nice as an appetizer, but it's not enough for me."

"I understand. If I succeed, then control of the Gensei Provinces will become mine. I am more than willing to give you absolute control over the Hueco Mundo Wastes and the provinces west of the Senkaimon River."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't. However, if you do not wish to join me, then you may shoot me."

Aizen knew that he was treading on very dangerous ground. If Baraggan pulled the trigger, then all of his plans would be ruined since he would be dead. However, the look of hesitation on Baraggan told him that he had won. Aizen did everything he could not to smile. Baraggan lowered the hammer back in place and re-holstered his revolver.

"Alright, I'll join you," Baraggan said, holding out his hand.

"I'm glad, Primera Espada," Aizen said and shook his hand.

_The Sabaku Desert_

"You have a request for my services," Ulquiorra said as he approached Harribel.

"Yes," Harribel said. "I need you to find someone."

"Let me guess, you wish me to find Szayel Aporro Granz."

"Yes," Harribel said. "I don't think Aizen is going to bother with trying to find him. He was too…eccentric for Aizen's liking."

"Then why would you wish to find him?"

"Well…we need his expertise in weapons' development. Do you remember how much damage his 'Fornicarás Rifle' did against the Gotei?"

"I see. Aizen never really saw it in action. He only thought that it was some kind of toy," Ulquiorra said, contemplating. "That means that Aizen will most likely not bother with him. However, he will go out of his way to get Baraggan on his side."

"That's right," Harribel said. "We need to get Szayel Aporro to join us, at least temporarily. Convince him any way that you can."

"Very well, I shall do what I can," Ulquiorra said as he saddled Murciélago.

"Good luck finding him and persuading him," Harribel said.

"Oh…I already know where to find him," Ulquiorra said. "The hard part is going to convince him to fight with us. And I fear that time is running short. You and Starrk will have to at least convince Ichigo Kurosaki that Aizen is the 'Shadow Lurker'. Perhaps he can then convince the Gotei to act accordingly."

"We'll try," Harribel said.

With that, he rode away. Harribel wished that he would succeed. She felt Starrk put a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him and saw that he was watching Ulquiorra depart. Both wished him success. As he rode off, Ulquiorra wished that Starrk and Harribel would be successful. He knew that if they failed in either task, then they would have to fight Aizen alone. If they had to do that, then none of them might survive.

"Good luck, my friends," he whispered.

_Pinkerton Agency Offices, Karakura Town_

Out of the privatized squads, the Pinkerton Agency was the largest and most influential. They employed hundreds of officers, investigators, and gunslingers as well as thousands of regular agents. Shukuro Tsukishima walked down the hall with the file on the two slain Chief Justices. Sheriff Ichigo Kurosaki had been more than willing to comply with his requests and gave him the proper information. However, Shukuro was only interested in one thing: who the murdered Chief Justices hired to investigate Tosen and Ichimaru.

"Sir," someone said.

"Yes, what is it Keigo?" he asked turning to look at the brown-haired agent who was walking towards him with a file.

"Here's that information you requested," he said.

Shukuro took it and looked at the name on the cover: DR. ISSHIN KUROSAKI. He looked at the new recruit, fresh from the training facility back East, and nodded. Keigo Asano bowed and walked away. Shukuro knew that the boy showed promise for becoming an ace investigator, but right now he was still naïve enough to believe anything.

The other recruits who just transferred: Mizuiro Kojima and Tatsuki Arisawa also showed promise. The best thing, they were close friends with the Sheriff and his friends. Based on the information he gathered from them, Shukuro was beginning to formulate a plan to get the Kurosaki family out of the way.

He walked to the door marked: EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE and opened it. Before the figure that was standing in the area beside the door could move, Shukuro had his dagger pointed at Hanza Nukui's throat. Hanza chuckled slightly.

"You are good," he said.

"You're fortunate I knew it was you," Shukuro said, lowering his dagger. "Well, did you get the information I sought?"

"I did," Hanza said and brought out a file from the messenger bag he carried. "The idiot actually had an entire file for it. I made sure I got any and all information related to it."

"Excellent work," Shukuro said, taking the file. "I'll have your pay deposited into your account, with a little extra as well for the overtime and for a job well done."

"Thank you sir," Hanza said with a bow.

"Now, you may leave. However, make sure no one sees you going out," Shukuro said.

"You don't have to worry about that," Hanza said and left.

"Now then, let's see what we got," Shukuro said and opened the file.

As he read, he felt a small gnawing of panic spread across his mind. The very idea that anyone could get this close to finding out the truth was frightening. However, when he saw the names of the investigators who were hired, he was not really surprised. Shukuro Tsukishima, Executive Director of the Karakura Town branch of the Pinkerton Agency, smiled slightly.

"Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihoin," he whispered. "What are we going to do about you?"

_Urahara's Shop, Karakura Town_

"So, they're dead," Kisuke Urahara said.

"Yes," Ichigo said.

"That is most unfortunate," Tessai said. "It may mean that whoever killed them knew that they employed you, boss, to investigate Tosen and Ichimaru."

"What? You were investigating them and you never even told me?" Ichigo asked, shocked.

"That's right. However, I was only investigating a possible conspiracy between Chief Justice Tosen and Ichimaru to get the Banker's and Merchant's Protection Bill passed. It would appear as though, something much larger is going on that we don't even know about," Urahara said.

"And Tosen and Ichimaru are behind it?" Ichigo asked, surprised.

"We don't know," Urahara said. "They may not even be involved. However, someone wants that bill to pass for some reason. The unfortunate thing is that most people, even those who are supposed to be Chief Justices, don't bother reading them."

"What do you think will happen?" Ichigo asked.

"Something bad," Urahara said, putting his fan down onto the floor. "I think this might turn into the greatest crisis that Karakura Town has faced since the Espada attack four months ago."

_Las Noches_

"Someone's coming, brother," Yylfordt Granz whispered to Grimmjow.

"I'm not your 'brother'," Grimmjow growled. "Who is it?"

"It's Aizen and he has Baraggan with him."

"What? How the hell did he persuade Baraggan to join him?"

"I don't know, brother, but they're coming. The Espada are to meet him outside the canyon as Aizen's instructions said."

"Fine…and stop calling me 'brother'," Grimmjow said and got up.

He saw Zommari already rushing to meet Aizen on his light-brown steed, Pumpkin. Yammy's large, muscular figure was already on his large, iron-grey steed, Ira. He wore a large, baggy pair of black slacks tucked into his black, steel studded boots with a crimson sash beneath his belt. Yammy touched the iron buckle he wore with the message "Rabia lleva a la Perdición" ("Rage leads to Destruction") surrounding a horned skull engraved on it.

Grimmjow mounted his own light-blue horse, Kitty, and only trotted his horse through the canyon's passage. He turned and saw that Nnoitora and Aaroniero were catching up to him. If he had the chance to talk with two other Espada about his plan, now was the time. However, he didn't know if he could trust them.

"Well now, it looks like he's returned after all," Nnoitora said.

Grimmjow looked at the exceedingly tall and thin man who was riding a bony, light-grey horse called Santa Teresa. His black hair hung over his shoulders and were hung throw a pair of narrow gold rings, one on either side. His smile was wide and his one eye was narrowed. The socket of his left eye was covered by a thick white eye patch with black trim. His thigh-long red jacket was unbuttoned. His long rifle was hung behind his back by its strap.

Aaroniero remained silent. The silver and gold-adorned mask he always wore gleamed in the sun. His long white coat and white gloves gave him a refined look. His chestnut-colored steed, Glotonería, moved with such refinement that one would have thought that it was a show-horse and not the war-horse that it actually was.

When the five Espada were in front of the entryway to the canyon, they halted. Aizen and Baraggan moved forward while the Crimson Dragons held back. Aizen looked at them and smiled.

"Hello, my dear Espada," he said, "I have returned."

**End of Chapter 2**


	3. Chapter 3: On the Trail

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 3: On the Trail**

_La Sala del Rey_

Sui-Feng knelt in the sand, searching for any sign of a new trail. The one she followed, thanks to Ggio Vega, had led to the canyon. But when she and Omaeda reached it, there was no one. She searched the entire place from top to bottom just to make sure someone wasn't waiting to ambush them. However, the only living things she saw were the snakes and scorpions. That meant that they had moved on.

She thought about the young man, who was so much like herself, and smiled whenever she thought about his golden eyes. She thought of how they would look like as his life left him. She then noticed the remains of a cigarette nearby. She picked it up and looked at the burnt end and smelled it. She smiled as she noticed the hoof prints. She had a trail.

_Las Noches_

"Did you believe what he said about Starrk?" Grimmjow asked Nnoitora.

"Who gives a fuck? All I care about is kicking some ass," Nnoitora said, grinning.

Grimmjow had been right. Aizen was saying that they would attack Karakura Town, but he did not give a specific date. However, the news that Starrk betrayed them was a shock. Even Yammy had thought hard on that one. The only one who agreed with Aizen right away was Zommari, no surprise there. However, Grimmjow did not believe it, but he didn't like that the other Espada actually considered it possible.

He knew Starrk. He knew that Starrk would never betray them. Of course, Starrk also didn't like to hurt people unless they truly deserved it. He also would never believe that Harribel and Ulquiorra would also betray them. It was true that they ran, but the other Espada, except for Zommari, also considered running. However, only Starrk, Harribel, and Ulquiorra actually did it. Grimmjow would have run with them, but he was persuaded to stay behind. Aizen thought that it was to get revenge against Ichigo, but that was not the real reason.

_The Sabaku Desert, After the Defeat at Karakura Town_

_"I never thought that you would actually do it," Grimmjow said._

_"Do what?" Ulquiorra asked._

_"Leave…I mean I always thought that you were Aizen's Bitch. Looks like I was wrong."_

_"You were wrong the moment you considered me…'Aizen's Bitch'," Ulquiorra said, a tone of disgust came into his voice at that last part._

_"Yeah, I was. So, when are you gonna go?" Grimmjow asked Ulquiorra._

_"We will be gone before dawn," Ulquiorra said._

_Grimmjow saw that he was still hurting from the bullet Aizen put into him. Out of the eleven that rode into Karakura Town, so far only five had made it to the abandoned cabin that was the agreed rallying point. Grimmjow had been the fourth with Starrk, Lilynette, and Harribel already there with Orihime and a woman he didn't recognize. Ulquiorra had been the fifth to arrive, barely holding onto his horse. However, since then, none of the other Espada arrived and Ulquiorra was now on his feet._

_"Are you sure you can ride?"_

_"Yes," Ulquiorra said. "I have already had it dealt with."_

_"Let me guess…you got the help of that Inoue girl didn't you?"_

_"That is correct. She is with Harribel even now, helping her recover with the help of Captain Unohana."_

_"What? She's being helped by a Captain?" Grimmjow asked, suddenly remembering the woman who arrived with Orihime._

_"That is correct. Captain Unohana understands that her duty is to heal the wounded, regardless of whether they are friend or foe."_

_"I see. But, how do we know she won't have the Gotei chase after us?"_

_"If she did, then she would also have to admit to giving aid to the enemy. She understands that if she does that, then she will not be able to help care for the wounded in the Gotei. She will not compromise her first duty: to help those who need it."_

_"Fine whatever, but I…I thought about what Starrk said, and…and I want in."_

_"I see. Do you understand the risk that you will be put in?"_

_"I understand, but I want to help you guys in any way I can. Other than my Pantera Gang, you're the only real friends I have and I don't want to lose any of you."_

_"I see. However, you must remain behind. We need to have someone give us any information about Aizen."_

_"Wait a minute. Why does it have to be me?"_

_"Because Aizen believes that he has you figured out. He wants to keep those who he believes he can control."_

_"He believes that he can control me? How the hell did he reach that conclusion?"_

_"He reached that conclusion because he knows that you want to get back at Ichigo Kurosaki for giving you that scar. He believes that if he can hold that over you, then you will do whatever he asks. Therefore, it will be advantageous for you to remain here. If you truly wish to help us, then you can do so by being our eyes and ears."_

_Grimmjow could not dispute that. Ulquiorra was good when it came to seeing things that others couldn't. Grimmjow never expected that he could help his friends by feeding them information. However, that left one problem._

_"I'll do it," Grimmjow said._

_"Thank you, Grimmjow. Your services will not go unnoticed. However, you must keep this a secret from your fraccion as well. This must be kept absolute secret between the two of us, at least for now."_

_"I understand. How am I gonna get you guys the information?"_

_"Just go to the cave near the top of the south-western cliff back at Las Noches. I have provided instructions on how I can be informed. Just, make sure that you destroy the note after you have read it . And do not tell anyone. We cannot afford to have your cover blown."_

_"I understand."_

_Visored "Warehouse", Karakura Town_

"WAKE UP, DUMBASS!" the girl screamed as she struck Shinji across the back of his head with one of her sandals.

"OW, Hiyori, why the hell did you do that?" Shinji asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"Because, Ichigo's coming over to talk with us, remember?"

"Of course, I remember, but that's in only…" he took out his pocket watch and his eyes widened when he saw the time, "…fifteen minutes."

"You lost track of time, again…DUMBASS!" Hiyori screamed and struck Shinji across the face.

"Now, now, there's no need for that," a rather bulky man who was wearing a green suit said as he entered the warehouse that the Visored Squad used as their headquarters.

"Oh, hey Hachi," Hiyori said. "Our 'fearless leader' here lost track of time. I was trying to knock some sense in him."

"Well, you can stop," a young woman wearing glasses said. "I'm sure that Ichigo would like for him to be conscious."

"Way to state the obvious, Lisa," a tall, muscular man with short white hair said.

"Oh shut up, Kensei," Lisa said.

"Come on guys, now's not the time to fight," a young girl who was wearing a white leotard with an orange scarf wrapped around her neck said.

"As much as I hate to say it, I would have to agree with Mashiro," Kensei said with a sigh.

"Wow, I never thought I would live to see the day when you would actually agree with Mashiro about something, "another man said with his thick black hair styled in a spiked afro.

"I know, Love, but it was bound to happen eventually," a thin man with long wavy blonde hair said.

"That's true, Rose," Love said. "However, I don't think Hiyori will ever stop beating Shinji whenever she has the chance."

Rose chuckled while making sure his ascot was smooth. Hiyori, however, was too busy yelling at Shinji to even notice. She was forced to stop slapping him across the face with her sandal when Kensei plucked it from her hand and the look on his face told her not to even make a fuss about it. So, she did what she normally did when she couldn't yell or hit at the person directly, she yelled at Shinji.

"Well, I see that not too much has changed," someone said.

The eight members of the Visored Squad turned and saw Ichigo Kurosaki standing at the entryway, grinning. Hiyori stopped yelling at Shinji and glowered at Ichigo. Shinji took the opportunity to get away from Hiyori and approached Ichigo, holding out his hand.

"I'm glad to see that you made it. Have you talked with the Xcution Squad yet?"

"Not yet, I'm letting Chad do that bit for me. He's had more dealings with them than I have."

"So, it must be worse than we thought if you had to get Chad the Blacksmith involved," Shinji said.

"Yes, and I'm not just talking about the murders in the Central 46 Rotunda. I'm afraid that the Espada are back."

"Are you sure?" Shinji asked.

"I'm sure. That's what I wanted to talk to you guys about."

"I see, so you're sending us to deal with the Espada," Shinji said.

"I'll explain it. Just go take a seat."

Shinji nodded and sat down with the other Visoreds. Ichigo stood before them. He looked at them and knew that he was right in getting them involved. Even though they didn't look like it, the Visored Squad was among the best group of trackers and gunslingers in the Gensei Provinces, with only the Gotei and the Pinkerton Agents considered better. They were known to go into the Hueco Mundo Wastes a couple of years ago when Rudobon and his Exequias Army were poised to attack the northern forts and succeeded in forcing them back at the Calaveras Mountains.

The Visoreds looked at him. Shinji had already informed them of the basics. They knew that "Shadow Lurker" was moving, and that was about it. Now, Ichigo would have to inform them of the latest news. He knew that they remembered facing the Espada. Some of them had almost died and Hachi's right hand was still partially crippled from the shot he took from Baraggan. Love still had a slight limp from the wound he received from Starrk. He knew that some of them would be afraid. However, he also knew that they would do what they had to.

"I'm sorry to have to call you in on this," Ichigo began.

"Don't apologize, dumbass," Hiyori said.

"Hiyori, don't be rude," Hachi said.

"It's alright, Hachi," Ichigo said smiling. "Anyways, I'm sure that you already know about the double murders of two Chief Justices in the Central 46 Rotunda and I'm also sure that Shinji has informed you about Tessai's message."

The Visoreds nodded. Kensei and Lisa leaned forward. Hiyori grinned while Hachi looked slightly nervous. Love, Rose, and Mashiro only looked at Ichigo. Shinji only kept his head down and his eyes closed. Ichigo took a deep breath and continued.

"It is true. I believe that 'Shadow Lurker' is on the move again. However, we have received information earlier about three Espada in the Gensei Provinces."

"We already know about that," Kensei said. "We heard the report about the incident in Kagamino."

"Wait a minute. I thought there were only two Espada in Kagamino," Mashiro said.

"There were, but they met up with a third sometime after that," Ichigo said. "We got information that someone spotted them near the Majime River. That means…"

"That means that they're heading here," Lisa said. "At least, as long as they keep on a south eastern direction and then turn slightly north after they pass through Junrinan."

"That's right," Ichigo said. "However, they're most likely coming here."

"Who are 'they'?" Love asked.

"'Night Bringer', 'Blood Star', the 'Diamond Sisters', and…" Ichigo hesitated before finishing, "...the 'Los Lobos Duo'."

Rose and Love looked at each other. Ichigo was not surprised to see them look worry. They were the best in the Visored Squad, only behind Shinji and Kensei. They had faced Coyote Starrk in battle and had almost been killed. Even when Captains Ukitake and Kyoraku were fighting with them against Starrk, they had a difficult time.

"Does that mean that the rest of the Espada are moving as well?" Shinji asked.

"I think that a better question is: why are they here?" Hachi asked. "It doesn't make sense. They're three of the top four Espada. Why would 'Shadow Lurker' send them here?"

"Then again, we should also ask: why are they letting themselves be seen?" Rose said.

"Rose has the right idea," Ichigo said. "I've been thinking about it as well. None of those three would ever allow anyone to trap them unless they wanted us to know they were here and where they're heading. I thought about that since the incident in Kagamino."

"So, why do you need us?" Hiyori asked.

"I want you to keep a close eye on them. I don't know if they're still together or not, but I need you to keep track of them. As soon as you know for sure which way they're heading, you're to come back. I don't want any of you engaging them in a gunfight."

"That's no fun," Hiyori said.

"I know you're upset, Hiyori," Ichigo said. "But this is important. You are not to engage them. If you are found out, you run. If I'm right, there's a storm coming and they are the harbingers. When the storm hits, I need to have all of you at my side."

_Los Desamparados, Hueco Mundo Wastes_

The crowds made their way to the central market square. Many carried goods to sell in mule-drawn wagons or on their backs. The town itself was a combination of squalor and splendor blended together. One house would be a small, adobe hut while across from it would stand a large house made from actual bricks and next to it would be a wooden hut falling into ruin. Sometimes shots would ring out somewhere in the crowd, and the only one to react would be the coffin maker, rushing to get measurements for any corpses.

This was Los Desamparados. Here, dogs would run wild and would not be hindered from taking chunks from the dead corpses. Gunshots were a common occurrence and natural death was a vague rumor. Here, the wealthy were the ones who could kill without hesitation or steal the coins from a widow's purse without guilt. Like so many other places, even in the Gensei Provinces, honesty and honor had no place, and those who believed such foolish ideals quickly found themselves begging or dead. Those who lived here understood just how useless living the life of a saint was.

Three people sat in the open-aired saloon watching the crowds pass. There was a time when they had been something, but now, they were just three nobodies. They were among the first who joined the Espada, but had long since lost their position. At first they were allowed to remain in Las Noches, but eventually they were no longer deemed to have any value. They were the Privaron Espada.

"Look at them," one of the men said, fingering his mustache. "These ovejas still continue to try to survive, even though they know they've lost."

"Well," said the other man, drinking from the dirty glass of severely watered-down whiskey before him. "What do you expect for them to do?"

"They should just drop dead," the woman said, bringing another spoonful of rotting pepper and onion to her mouth.

"If that's the case, Cirucci, then why haven't we dropped dead yet?" the main said, now stroking his goatee. "We're no better off than they are."

He reached and took the loaf of dry bread and picked out any moldy spots he saw. He hated himself for having lost what power he once had. He thought that he would remain at the top. Hell, they all thought they would keep their position. Aizen had promised them a place in his new world, but when they proved to be ineffective, they were cast aside.

"Dordoni, what are you trying to say?" the other man said.

"I think your friend is saying that you should commit suicide," someone said.

They looked at the man who had spoken. He was wearing a dark-green serape with yellow patterns. His tan boots were covered in dirt and his dark blue jeans were fraying at the ankle cuffs. A cigarillo jutted from the right side of his mouth and he was rubbing the stubble on his face. His light blue eyes shone out from behind his half-closed eyelids.

"Hey, he wasn't asking ya," Cirucci asked.

"Well…that may be," he said in his soft, laconic voice. "But…I figured it best to answer seeing as how your friend wasn't ready."

"Well, back the fuck off," Cirucci said, scowling.

"Fine," the man said and walked away.

"Who the fuck does he think he is, Clint Eastwood?" Cirucci asked, returning to her bowl.

"The sad thing is…he was right," Dordoni said. "Gantenbainne, what do you think? Why haven't we just punched our own ticket?"

"I don't know," Gantenbainne said, watching a dog carrying something that looked like a human hand in its mouth pass them.

"Another funny thing," Dordoni said. "Didn't that guy kinda remind you of Starrk a bit?"

"I don't know. I wasn't paying attention," Gantenbainne said, draining his glass.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Cirucci asked.

"Probably nothing," Dordoni said.

"Well, here's something," Gantenbainne said.

Dordoni looked up from the piece of bread he was tearing off from the loaf and looked at him. Gantenbainne was looking past him and Dordoni turned his head. Cirucci looked up, confused about what was going on. However, when she looked in the direction that her two companions looked, her mouth gaped open and her eyes widened.

"Hello, it's been a while," Aizen said, smiling at them.

"What do you want?" Cirucci asked in an angry tone.

"I want to offer you a second chance. I realized that I was wrong in pushing you away."

"Why should we believe you?" Gantenbainne asked.

"I can't blame you for hating me," Aizen said. "After all, I took your positions away and I gave them to…less trustworthy hands. As a result, I had to pretend to side with our enemy. However, I feel that now is the right time for the Arrancar to take their rightful place and reclaim the lands taken from them."

The three looked at each other. Cirucci looked eager. Dordoni felt something inside him come alive. Gantenbainne, however, felt that Aizen was leaving something out.

"Are you offering to make us Espada again?" Dordoni asked.

"I am."

The three Privaron Espada looked at each other. They were all thinking the same thing. This was their opportunity to regain the former glory they once enjoyed. However, they were weary. Aizen had made promises to them before, and he broke them. However, they also knew that beggars could not be choosers.

"What do you need form us?" Dordoni asked.

"From what I understand, you ran with El General de los Huesos for a time. I need to know where I can find him."

_Naruki Hotel, Karakura Town_

Chad made his way down the lush red carpeting to where the Xcution squad met. The wooden panels shone in the light and reflected his large, muscular form. He remembered how Ichigo asked him to talk with the Xcution Squad and he could not say "no" to a request he made. They made an oath years earlier that they would have each other's backs. Now, Ichigo needed as much help as he could. He neared the double oaken doors near the end of the hall. The thick, smoked glass windows made it difficult to see in. The word: PRIVATE was painted on both glass windows in a clean script. Chad reached for the brass knocker and knocked twice, paused, then three more times, paused and then twice again.

The door opened and he saw a tall, muscular man with a thick mustache standing before him. He was dressed in a pair of jodhpurs and a white shirt with a black, double-breasted vest with gold buttons. His shoes shone like a pair of mirrors. He wore a green satin eye patch that covered his right eye.

"Ah, Chad, we were expecting you. The others are waiting," he said and gestured for Chad to enter.

When Chad entered, he saw Kugo leaning against the bar. Next to him sat a young woman with her purple hair tied into two pigtails who was finishing stitching up a stuffed pig. Leaning against one of the carved oak pillars, a young man, little more than a boy, was leaning, his hands were stuffed into the pockets of his navy blue pea coat and his black cap was pulled down so low that Chad could not see his eyes. The last member was a woman in her mid-twenties who was sitting in one of the arm chairs next to the fire. Chad knew that she was sulking, but he didn't know over what.

"Thank you, Giriko," Kugo said as he straightened.

"Hey, I thought that cutie Ichigo would be here," the girl next to him said when she turned around. She was leaning forward and was squinting to see who had entered.

"You really need to get glasses, Riruka," Kugo said. "Maybe you should also get your hearing checked as well. I told everyone that Chad would be coming today to talk on Ichigo's behalf."

"For the last time, I'm not getting glasses. Second, I thought you said that Ichigo was coming."

"Well," the boy who was leaning against the pillar said. "You were probably too busy playing with your doll 'Doll' to pay any attention."

"For your information, I had to fix Mr. Pork. He had a small hole under his arm. Also, don't call me 'Doll', Yukio."

"Would you two, please stop fighting. It's getting annoying," the other woman said, getting up from her arm chair.

"What put you in a foul mood, Jackie?" Riruka asked.

"She's annoyed that she's not allowed to wear her boots in the hotel," Giriko said.

"Damn right," Jackie said. "I never go anywhere without my boots…except here."

"Perhaps if they weren't so dirty…" Kugo said.

"Shut up about that. They're my trademark. They don't call me Jackie 'Dirty Boots' Tristan for nothing!"

"Uh…guys," Chad said. "I think we have more important things to talk about."

They turned to Chad. They were surprised to hear more than three words come out of his mouth in the same sentence. Chad looked at each of them in turn.

"Is it about those Espada who are in the Gensei Provinces?" Riruka asked.

"Partially," Chad said. "Ichigo is talking with the Visored Squad about them. However, he needs you to keep an eye on the Garganta Pass. If the Espada are heading towards Karakura Town, they'll have to go through the Garganta Pass. Your job is to apprehend them."

"So that's why he got us involved," Kugo said.

"Yes," Chad said.

Ichigo knew that just as the Visored Squad was among the best group of trackers, the Xcution Squad was one of the best groups of bounty hunters. Unlike the Visored Squad, who were trained to just track or engage in combat if the need arose, the Xcution Squad was also trained in apprehending the most dangerous outlaws.

"Has he approached the Pinkerton Agency about this?" Yukio asked.

They all thought about their former comrade, Tsukishima, who was now in charge of the Karakura Town offices for the Agency.

"No, Ichigo doesn't trust them for some reason," Chad said. "However, he trusts you."

"Will he pay us?" Tristan asked.

"Yes, he will pay you $50,000 in gold for each day on top of the reward money."

Riruka whistled while the others began to mutter with each other. They knew that Ichigo wanted them to be apprehended as soon as possible, but the payment was more than they originally thought. Kugo got up and walked to Chad.

"Alright, we'll take the job," Kugo said.

_Hogyoku United Bank Headquarters_

Yoruichi hated wearing dresses.

She felt the corset crushing her ribs and just wanted to get out of it. She hoped that whoever invented the damn thing was burning in Hell. She understood that part of her mission was to go undercover and pose as a potential client for the bank, but she wanted to do it without wearing a dress. When she got back to Urahara's Shop, she would make sure that Kisuke paid for making her do this. Maybe she would force him into the corset. She smiled at the idea.

She walked across the expansive, marble-floored lobby to one of the tellers. The teller looked at her and smiled.

"How may I be of service, ma'am?" he asked.

_Yeah, you can get me out of this damn thing,_ she thought.

"I would like to open an account," Yoruichi said.

"Ah, very good ma'am, I'll get one of the bankers to help you with that. May I have your name?"

"Yes, my name's Yoruichi Shihoin."

"Very good, I'll just let them know that you're here, Miss Shihoin," he said, his grin even wider. "If you would like, you can wait in one of the chairs over there," he said and pointed to a group of leather, reading chairs.

"Thank you very much," Yoruichi said, doing her best to keep her smile.

She was making her way to the chairs when she saw a door open. A man wearing a cream-color suit came out. Yoruichi took one look at the grin on his face and knew that this had to be Gin Ichimaru. Her family name certainly had its benefits. The Shihoin family along with the Kuchiki family was practically royalty in the Gensei Provinces. Her family founded, owned, and operated Senkaimon Rail and Transport Co.

"Ah, Miss Shihoin," Gin said, holding out his hand. "I'm so glad that you wish to do business with us. I am Gin Ichimaru, President of Hogyoku United Bank. It is a pleasure."

"Well thank you, Mr. Ichimaru," Yoruichi said, putting her hand in his.

"Oh please, call me Gin," Gin said and brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed it.

"Very well, Gin, and you may call me Miss Shihoin."

Gin chuckled a little at that. His smile became even wider. Yoruichi felt slightly disturbed. She felt as though Gin knew something and knew that Kisuke would have to know as soon as possible. However, she would have to make sure that Gin did not suspect anything was wrong.

"Alright, Miss Shihoin," Gin said. "Please, follow me and we'll see how we can help you."

She followed him to one of the small offices and he opened the door. She nodded her head slightly and walked in. Gin closed the door and walked to the other side of the cherry-wood desk. He sat down and opened the ledger and brought out the proper forms from his desk.

"Alright, Miss Shihoin," he said. "I just need you to fill out these forms as well as your initial deposit and I'll get your bank card ready. Just show it to the teller and they'll give you a check book along with an account receipt that will show how much you have in your account."

"You don't need me to do anything else?"

"Oh no, we want to make it easy for our clients to set up an account and to access their money. The only things we really need are the forms and the initial deposit. Now, we do charge a one dollar fee for every time you overdraw your account. However, if you overdraw your account and make a deposit that day that brings your account back into the black, then we waive the fee."

"That sounds fair, but what if I make the deposit at another location?"

"That's no problem at all. Each of our banks has a telegraph, which are connected to our central offices. If you make a deposit in one of our branches in the Borderlands, then we get news of it in our offices here that day. Likewise, our major branches, such as the ones here and at Fort Seireitei are serviced by the Jigokucho Phone Company."

"I know, my family also owns the Jigokucho Phone Company," Yoruichi said.

"Of course, forgive me."

"There's really no need. Sometimes, I forget as well. After all, we did establish it with the Kuchiki family and we're joint-owners."

"Plus, I'm sure the Senkaimon Rail and Transport Company keeps your family pretty busy."

"You have no idea," Yoruichi said as she signed the last form.

Gin chuckled. She pushed the documents towards him and Gin picked them up. He looked at the documents while keeping an eye on her. He wrote some of the information from the forms into the ledger and then copied the six-digit number on the bank card in the space next to where he wrote Yoruichi's name.

"Well, that should take care of it. Just show the card and give your initial deposit to one of the tellers and that will be it."

"Alright, thank you Mr. Ichimaru," Yoruichi said, smiling at him.

"No, thank you Miss Shihoin," Gin said, smiling.

When Yoruichi left, Gin's smiled faded. He went to the silver candlestick telephone on the desk and picked it up. He used the rotary dial to enter the number. He put the receiver to his ear. When he heard Tsukishima's voice on the other end, Gin smiled.

"Guess who came to my bank today."

_Las Llanuras Infernales_

The area between La Sala del Rey and Las Noches wasn't called "The Infernal Plains" for nothing. Sui-Feng did her best to ignore the heat radiating around them as if they were in an oven. However, she could only do so much. She looked at Omaeda, who had taken off his coat and unbuttoned most of his shirt. However, he was still suffering.

_Maybe this will help him lose some of that weight,_ she thought.

However, the heat was getting to her as well. She found herself nearly nodding off every once in a while. Under normal circumstances, Sui-Feng was able to observe everything around her. However, the heat of Las Llanuras Infernales was getting to her. She found her vision begin to waver every now-and-again and her concentration was severely affected.

She then spotted something a few yards ahead. She rode over to it and saw the charred remains of a campfire. She knelt and put her hand close to the remains. She looked in every direction and saw what she was looking for. The track in the loose dirt would have been swept away with a slight breeze, but no wind came into Las Llanuras Infernales. She saw that the prints were heading in a slight north-western direction towards… Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Hey, can we stop for the day? I'm tired," Omaeda said.

"No, you idiot, we can't stop."

"But, why not?"

"We need to report this. I think I know where those Arrancars were heading."

"But, shouldn't we make sure first?"

"No, I'm under strict orders. If I even suspect any Arrancars of going towards…I'm supposed to report it immediately."

"Huh, where are they heading?"

"They're heading to Las Noches, you idiot. We're not supposed to follow them there. Instead, we need to head back and make our report."

"Well…that ain't gonna happen," someone said.

Sui-Feng's eyes widened in surprise and she looked at Omaeda who had his hands up. She saw that they were surrounded by a group of six men…well she thought one of them was a man…either that or a very ugly woman. She recognized the voice of the man who spoke as being Ggio Vega. She looked into his golden eyes, which glittered with maniacal glee. His revolver was aimed at her and to her surprise and horror, she saw the he held her own revolver in his other hand.

"Nice to see ya again," Ggio said, smirking.

_Damn heat,_ Sui-Feng thought.

_Outside El Atormentado_

Ulquiorra saw the southern border town of El Atormentado ahead. He turned his black horse, Murciélago, to the left and rode through the tall grass. He saw that the sun was beginning its descent. His hand went to the silver brooch he wore.

"La Noche trae la Deseperación," he muttered as he traced the small letters engraved on the bat's wings. "The Night brings Despair."

He continued riding through the tall grass until he saw the path that he sought. He turned on the dirt path and made his way to the foothills. The mountains rose tall in the distance and he could make out the grey peaks of the Desatoya Mountains. He heard rumors about those mountains and the haunted town of Eluria that was supposed to be on the other side. However, such things held little interest for him.

The only thing that interested him was the cabin ahead of him. He could see a light burning in the window and saw the twin fat horses grazing in the field. Ulquiorra stopped and got off Murciélago. He tied the horse to the fence and walked the rest of the way to the door. Even though the road was covered in gravel, his footsteps made no sound at all. Even when he walked up the three steps, he made no sound. He stopped at the door and could hear the sounds of someone moving around. He raised his hand and knocked on the door. The sounds stopped and then moved towards the door.

"Who is it?" a voice called out.

Ulquiorra remained silent. The footsteps continued towards the door and he heard someone unlatching the door. When the door opened, a thin man with pink hair and glasses stood gaping at Ulquiorra. He was wearing a pair of plum-colored pants and a lavender shirt under a black vest with silver buttons. His amber eyes were wide with terror.

"Hello, Szayel Aporro Granz," Ulquiorra said.

"Look…I…I can explain…I…I got scared…I ran…I…"

"That is enough, Szayel Aporro. I am not here on Aizen's behalf."

Szayel Aporro's eyes narrowed. Ulquiorra knew that he was suspicious. Szayel Aporro's eyes darted to the left and to the right, searching for anyone who might be hiding. However, when he saw no one else there, he sighed. However, he did not lower his guard.

"What do you want, Ulquiorra?"

"I am here to talk to you."

"Look, if it's about what happened four months ago, I can explain."

"No, it concerns what is happening now."

"Are…are you saying that Aizen's moving again?"

"Yes, Aizen is moving and the Gensei Provinces are unaware."

"Well, then, that's something. So, if you're not on Aizen's side then whose side are you on?"

"I am on my friends' side."

"Wait a minute…you have friends?" Szayel Aporro asked, shocked.

"That is correct. You know them: Tia Harribel and Coyote Starrk and their partners."

"Of…of course I remember them. What do they want?"

"They require your assistance."

"Ha! Do you think I'm a fool? I learned from the last time not to get involved and so I'm just gonna stay out of the way."

"I see, and what would you say when Aizen decides that you are worth his time? Would you be willing to say the same thing?"

"Well…I…I don't know…maybe."

"I do not think that Aizen would appreciate such a response. He might decide it best to kill you."

Szayel Aporro looked at Ulquiorra, thinking. After a few seconds of silence, Szayel Aporro moved away from the entryway and held the door open.

"You might as well come in and tell me what they want," Szayel Aporro said.

Ulquiorra nodded and walked inside. Szayel Aporro took another quick glance outside before closing the door.

_Urahara Shop, Karakura Town_

"He suspected," Yoruichi said. "He was very cautious."

"That is disturbing," Kisuke said and poured another cup full of sake for her.

Yoruichi grabbed the cup from his hand and drank it in one swallow. She felt relieved to finally be back in her usual pair of jeans and lose button-down shirt and out of the corset.

"However, I found out that the main offices have operational telephones and they're connected with the rest of their branches by telegraph."

"That means that they can send a message simultaneously if they have to," Kisuke whispered to himself. "However, what you said about Gin disturbs me."

"But why would they suspect me of trying to pry into their business?"

"I don't know."

They sat in silence. Yoruichi grabbed the sake bottle and began to drink from that. Kisuke, however, was deep in thought. He thought that Gin must have known that Yoruichi was trying to gather information on him and his precious bank. After all, his now-deceased client told him… That was when it hit him.

"Damn it, I should have known," Kisuke said.

"What is it? Did you think of something?"

"Damn it, of course they would want to keep everything together," Kisuke said.

"What are you talking about?"

"Even though they may not read every bill that comes before them, they're still politicians. He would want to keep a record of anything they dealt with and they would most certainly want to keep any information they received on Tosen."

Suddenly Yoruichi realized what Kisuke was saying.

"He…he kept a file on us?" she asked.

"Of course, and I told him not to when we made the deal. However, if you try to persuade a politician in not doing something stupid…"

"…they always do something stupid," Yoruichi finished. "Of course, he was a target for assassination, and the assassin must have overhead him mentioning his deal with us in investigating Tosen and Ichimaru. He wasn't targeted because of our investigation. He was targeted because he was against Tosen's bill. Shit, Kisuke, what the hell did we get ourselves into?"

"I don't know. But, I think it might be best if we stay low."

"Yeah, but, if that idiot kept a file on us, and if whoever else is involved sees that file…"

"I know. I'm afraid that we're already too late. However, we can only hope that they think that we won't investigate… Shit, if I had thought of this before I never would have sent you to…"

"Kisuke, don't panic. There might still be a way to salvage this."

"What do you mean?"

"It's easy, just hear me out. Right now, I don't think that Gin knows what to make of me being at the bank. On the one hand, he might think that we're still investigating. However, on the other hand…"

"…he might think that you merely wanted to open an account so that way your family's fortunes could be spread out throughout the Gensei Provinces."

"That's right. If he thinks the latter, then we can still continue our investigation. However, that means that I'll have to continue banking with them."

"I know, but it's better than the alternative."

"No kidding. I don't think either of us wants to have a dagger planted in our backs."

_Bosque de Cráneos_

The four rode through the day. Dordoni remembered the way and so he was in the lead. Aizen was just behind him with Cirucci and Gantenbainne in the rear. Ahead, they could see a forest of gnarled, bone white trees. Aizen smiled when he saw the number of human skulls that hung on the trees. The rattling noise that the skulls made when they touched each other reminded him of gentle rain.

"This is the Bosque de Cráneos," Dordoni said. "It marks the territory of El General de los Huesos and the Exequias Army. It's best if we take out our weapons and drop them to the ground."

Aizen raised one eyebrow in surprise. However, the three Privaron Espada were taking out their weapons and dropping them to the ground. Aizen eyed the trees and took out his own revolvers and dropped them to the ground. All was silent, except for the sound of the skulls touching each other in the gentle breeze. That was when they came.

At first Aizen thought that the forest was starting to move. However, it only took a second glance for him to see that he had been mistaken. He was surprised to see how many men were coming at them and now he understood why some called the Exequias Army "The Ghosts of the Desert". They were dressed in a dusty white uniform, the same shade as the trees. Hollowed out bone decorated their hair or were worn like bracelets. Some wore animal skulls like helmets or masks.

One of them stepped forward. Aizen saw that he had more pieces of bone than any of the others and he had a dried bit of fur wrapped around his shoulders. His face was hidden behind a mask made from the skull of a horse and a necklace made from two bird skulls hung around his neck.

"I am called Presagio de la Muerte," he said in a raspy voice. "I am second-in-command of the Exequias Army and aid to El General de los Huesos, Rudobon Árbol Graves. I know these three tontos, but I don't know you."

"I am Souske Aizen. I have come looking for El General."

"There are only three kinds of people who come seeking El General: fools who want to join the Exequias Army; fools who want our aid; and fools who want to kill El General."

"What about fools who wish to die?" Aizen asked.

"Those are the only ones who seek El General," Presagio de la Muerte said with a chuckle. "So, which of the three are you?"

"I have an offer for El General."

"Ah, then you're a fool who wants our aid. What do you have to offer?"

"Oh…I don't know…how does the Northern Gensei Provinces sound?"

The Exequias stood silent at that. Aizen wasn't sure how to read them. Presagio de la Muerte turned to one of the nearby men and whispered something. The man saluted, his bone jewelry rattled when he made the motion and he marched off.

"This is indeed a pleasant surprise," the second-in-command said. "You might actually come out of this alive."

"I intend to," Aizen said.

"In that case…you probably will. Rudobon might find you…amusing enough to let you live."

_Las Noches_

Grimmjow sat on the rock outcropping on the west side of the ring of mountains that formed a natural wall around Las Noches. He and his gang were on patrol tonight while the others sat around the bonfire in the middle of the basin. The combination of tents and huts and caves provided shelter for the Arrancars who dwelt in the confines of Las Noches.

He used the time the best he could and first went to the cave that Ulquiorra told him about. When he first entered it, he was surprised to find so many bats in one place. The only other thing he found was the note that Ulquiorra mentioned. The note was straight forward and to the point: _"Just tell one of the bats your message and let it loose after nightfall. They will know where to find me."_ At first he thought it was some kind of joke, but then he realized that it would be like Ulquiorra to learn Batish or whatever they spoke.

Grimmjow found it funny that the only other two male Espada he felt comfortable with had a thing, almost like a bond, for a particular animal. For Starrk it was wolves and for Ulquiorra it was bats. If Grimmjow felt a kinship for any animal, he would have said the mountain lion or any other desert felines. Thinking about it made him miss them. Even though he gave Ulquiorra a hard time, he appreciated his company and Starrk was always willing to listen to his complaints.

He also found himself missing Harribel and the arguments her three companions always had with each other. The "Diamond Sisters" always made things lively around here and Harribel always knew how to make a place brighter. Also, he enjoyed seeing her beat the shit out of Nnoitora whenever he tried to give her a hard time. In those ways she was like Nel.

Grimmjow's heart ached at the mere thought of Nel. He missed the sight of her flowing green hair and her dazzling hazel eyes. He never really found out what happened to her. One day she was there, laughing with Starrk and Harribel, and then the next day she was gone. The official explanation that Aizen gave was that he sent her on a mission, but she had failed to return. Rumors began circulating that she ran away. However, Nnoitora always had a knowing-look on his face whenever Nel's name came up. He was always tempted to try to get Nnoitora to confess, but something always held him back.

Grimmjow fingered his medallion, a gift that Nel gave him for his birthday. He always wore it, hoping that one day they would be reunited. However, it had been over seven months since he last saw her. He sighed and looked over the edge. His eyes widened in surprise. He thought he saw something move in the rock outcroppings below him.

Grimmjow thought that he should call out, but thought better of it. He didn't think that it was anyone from Starrk, Harribel, or Ulquiorra, but he thought it best not to risk it. Also, he wasn't even sure he saw anything. It could have been a trick of the light or it could have just been his eyes playing tricks. However, he thought it best to investigate.

As Grimmjow made his way down towards the rock outcropping, Ggio Vega and the other Crimson Dragons were making their way through the canyon entrance to the basin. Sui-Feng and Omaeda were tied to their horses and surrounded by their captors.

"Well…this is just great," Sui-Feng growled.

"It could be worse," Omaeda said. "We could be dying in the desert."

"Omaeda…shut up."

"Now, now, your friend's right," Ggio said.

"Exacta!" Findor cried out.

"It's too bad that you have such an ugly attitude towards one who has such a beautiful outlook on life," Cuuhlhourne said as he stroked the tiara he wore that was shaped like a dragon made from rubies and diamonds and gold.

"Oh God," Sui-Feng said. "How can I take anything that someone as ugly as you says seriously?"

"How dare you call someone you just met, 'ugly'? Judging people by how they look is proof that you are truly as ugly as your filthy heart. Oh, that line was too perfect. Of course, I, the lovely dynamic graceful divine romantic dramatic artistic perfectly radiant princess Charlotte Cuuhlhourne, and my pure heart are the true embodiment of beauty."

"Oh God, please kill me now," Sui-Feng said.

As they entered, the Arrancars looked towards them. Some saluted, and made the others get out of their way. They were, after all, the fraccion of the Primera Espada, Baraggan Luisenbarn. The Crimson Dragons with their prisoners in tow approached the dais that Baraggan had built for him. He sat on his "throne" and looked down at them.

"My Lord," Ggio said, getting off and kneeling before the dais.

"What is it, Ggio? You are early from your patrol."

"I know my Lord, but I have brought two prisoners for your inspection."

"Is that a fact?" Baraggan asked.

"Yes my Lord," Ggio said. "Poww, Avirama, please bring our prisoners forward."

Poww, a rather tall and muscular man with crimson dragon tattoos on his cheeks, just below his eyes, took hold of Omaeda's horse while Avirama took hold of Sui-Feng's horse. The only reason they did as Ggio asked was because they knew that the prisoners would please Baraggan. Baraggan's left eye widened when he saw the prisoners.

"Well now, this is indeed a great thing you have done," Baraggan said smiling. He turned his attention to Sui-Feng and said, "So, we meet again, you bitch."

As Baraggan was greeting the woman who nearly killed him four months before, Grimmjow reached the rock outcropping. However, he didn't see anyone. He looked around and he couldn't see anyone. He was about to head up the path when he felt someone grab his shoulder. He whirled and brought out the knife he carried with him. However, the person who grabbed him was quick and strong. They grabbed Grimmjow's wrist and flipped him over and onto his back.

"Damn it," he growled.

He looked up and saw the figure wrapped in a green cloak standing over him. The blade of a rapier was pointed at him. His eyes widened when he heard the figure chuckling at him.

"Well, look at you," the figure said and reached up and lowered the hood.

Grimmjow's eyes widened when he saw the long, flowing green hair spill out like a waterfall. Hazel eyes looked into his own blue eyes and he saw the familiar smile.

"Nel?" he whispered.

"Hey Grimm, long time no see," Nelliel Tu Odelschwank said.

_Bosque de Cráneos_

Aizen sat at the table, waiting. The sky was beginning to take on the soft tones of sunset. He wasn't sure how long he had been waiting, but he hoped that he hadn't wasted his time. That was when he saw the man approach him. The man was dressed in the same dusty white clothes as the others, but he also wore a long, duster with bones dangling from chords near the shoulders. He wore the skull of a bull on his head while the skull of a horse served as his mask. As he moved, he rattled with the sound of the bones braided into his long black hair. His gloves were decorated with the exoskeletons from the backs of scorpions at the knuckles and the lower part of each finger.

Aizen noticed that aside from carrying two revolvers, the man also had a sword whose grip was made from a femur bone with bands of gold and steel and straps of leather decorating it. The man stopped and began to untie the leather straps that held his mask in place. When he removed his mask, Aizen saw that the man was middle-aged. His black eyes made Aizen feel as though he was gazing into an abyss.

"I am Rudobon," the man said in a voice that sounded like the rumblings of a thunderstorm as he sat at the table across from Aizen. "My lieutenant informed me about you. What is your name?"

"I am Souske Aizen."

"Why did you bring those three tontos with you?" he asked, gesturing to the tree where Dordoni, Cirucci, and Gantenbainne sat.

"I needed them to help me find you. Likewise, I still need them to help me fight against the Gotei."

"Aren't you Gotei?" Rudobon asked, arching one eyebrow.

"That's what they believe. May I ask how you came by that information?"

"You're wearing the ring of a Gotei Captain, and based on the symbol, I would say that you're Fifth Squad."

"You're the first one to notice that here."

"Not surprising, most people don't think that anyone from the Gotei would come out here. I understand that you came to ask for my services."

"That's correct."

"Why should I accept?"

"I can give you the Northern Gensei Provinces."

"You can only give them to me if you succeed, though," Rudobon said. "Right now, they're not yours to give. I will ask you one more time. Why should I accept?"

"It is true that I don't have those territories to give right now," Aizen said, thinking fast. "However, I my plans involve eliminating a certain group of people. I'm sure that you would like to destroy them yourself."

"You're talking about the Visored Squad," Rudobon said.

"Yes," Aizen said. "I know that revenge is not enough for you, so I brought an advanced payment with me."

"That would be the bags by your feet."

"You're very observant."

"I have to be. Out here, your wits are usually the only thing separating you from the grave. Anyways, how much of advancement are we talking about?" Rudobon asked.

"Those bags contain about $200,000 in gold. That gold is yours either way. However, if you accept my offer then I will give you another $1,800,000 in gold upon completion."

"What's keeping me from taking the $200,000 and refuse to help you?"

"Nothing at all," Aizen said.

"I see," Rudobon said.

The two sat in silence. Aizen knew that Rudobon was seriously considering it. Then Rudobon threw back his head and laughed.

"You're the first one to actually speak the truth about that part at least. I've been itching at having another go at the Gensei Provinces for a while. Alright, I accept your offer. However, I have a few conditions."

"And what's that?"

"I order the Exequias Army, not you or anyone else. I report to you and you give me instructions on what you want done, but I don't have to obey them. If I think that my strategy is better than yours, then I will not follow your instructions. Likewise, you will not order me about and I will leave whenever I choose to."

"That sounds fair, but I must ask: how far are you willing to go?"

"You have a particular target in mind?"

"I was thinking that you could stay with me at least as far as Karakura Town."

Rudobon stared at him in silence. He thought about the glory that he and the Exequias could achieve if they were to help bring down the capital of the Gensei Provinces. He grinned.

"Yes, I will help you bring Karakura Town down."

"Then I have no problems with your conditions," Aizen said, smiling.

_Karakura Town_

Kaname Tosen made his way from the Central 46 Rotunda. The two replacements he hand-picked would be sworn in the morning. Then, that afternoon, his bill would be put to the vote. His grip tightened on the gold head cane as a mixture of excitement and worry came over him. He hoped that Aizen had succeeded in what he set out to do.

As he made his way to his destination, he thought about the call he received from Gin. Yoruichi had gone to Gin's bank to open an account. Gin had already contacted Tsukishima about it and he in turn contacted Hanza Nukui to keep an eye on her. However, things were already being set in motion. Soon, anyone who dared to stand in the path of Justice would be crushed.

_But, is it really Justice?_

Kaname stopped, it had been a long time since he last heard that voice; her voice. He shook his head and continued his path. Now was not the time to doubt the path that Aizen showed him. It was the time to stand firm and not compromise.

_Kaname, is it really Justice if you cause the innocent to suffer?_

"This is how it must be," he whispered. "A world without Justice is a dark place. A world where the Good are pushed aside and the Evil prosper is an evil world."

_But, is it worth it? If you fight evil, are you so willing to become a monster just to make the evil suffer?_

He shook his head. The last time he heard her voice speaking out like this was when Aizen approached him with his plan. When Aizen explained it, Kaname saw it as the pathway to true Justice. In his plan, the Good would prosper and the Evil would perish. That was the road that he walked, regardless of where it led.

"Those who go down the path of Justice must never waver, even in the face of destruction," he said. "The Good must prosper and the Evil must perish."

_But, by whose standards are you judging who's "Good" and "Evil"? Don't you believe in redemption?_

"Why should I answer? You're nothing more than a mere memory."

He waited, but her voice did not question him further. He continued walking until he reached his destination. He knelt on the ground and ran his hand over smooth marble. He could not believe that only a few minutes ago, he was arguing with her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I have to do whatever it takes to make sure that Justice is served."

He traced his finger along the name carved into the tombstone of the only woman he ever truly loved. The first one who showed him the path of Justice, only to be killed by a soldier whom she called "husband" and to be betrayed by the so-called "Justice" she fought for. However, he, Kaname Tosen, would become her Sword of Justice. And he would make sure that the leaders of the Gensei Provinces paid for their crime.

_Szayel Aporro's Ranch_

Ulquiorra stood on the porch. Night was covering the land and he knew he would have to get moving soon. The only horse outside was his own. Szayel Aporro's two horses, Lumina and Verona, were now eating hay in the barn. He needed to tell the others about Szayel Aporro's decision as soon as possible. He made his way down the wooden steps to the ground when he saw something approaching from the west. He cocked his head slightly to the left and began making a clicking noise in the back of his throat.

The bat changed its direction and came towards him. Ulquiorra held out his hand and the bat landed on it. An exchange of clicking and chirping noises ensued and Ulquiorra closed his eyes. He didn't like the news he was hearing. Starrk and Harribel would have to know as soon as possible.

He whispered his own message to the bat. The bat made a series of chirping noises and Ulquiorra only nodded his head.

"Now then," he said. "Go to the wolves and deliver my message to them. Tell them to find Starrk and inform him of what has taken place."

The bat made another series of clicking noises and flew away. Ulquiorra watched the bat and then mounted Murciélago and rode off. When Ulquiorra was gone, Szayel Aporro stepped onto the porch. He wondered if he made the right decision.

_The Sabaku Desert_

Coyote Starrk looked at the sleeping form of Lilynette. She was clutching a box made out of rosewood with the letters LG engraved on the lid. He took off his duster and put it over her. He looked to where Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun were busy cleaning the cooking pans and plates in the pond they were camped next to. Harribel was sitting at the fire, feeding bits of wood to the flame. She looked at him and smiled and gestured for him to sit next to her. Starrk went over to her and sat on the log next to her.

"How is she?" Harribel asked, gesturing towards Lilynette.

"She's just tired," Starrk said.

"Yeah, aren't we all?"

"So, how did you reconnect with those three? I thought that they had to stay behind at Las Noches."

"They did, but after we left, they decided to follow. After you left, they found me. It's odd, but they told me that a little wolf told them where to find me."

"Lilynette," Starrk said and chuckled. "She probably did it while I was asleep."

"Don't give me that. You told them where to find me. Hell, you knew those three were following."

"I…may have stumbled across them once and accidently let it slip where you were."

"Yeah, they pretty much said the same thing. Wait a minute. If you already knew then why did you bother asking?"

"Oh…just cause," Starrk said, grinning.

"You really are a bastard," Harribel said, also grinning. "I miss the good ol' days. Do you remember when it was just the three of us?"

"Yeah," Starrk said as he looked at the darkening night sky.

"I noticed that Lilynette still has her 'Treasure Box'. Has she collected any more treasures since the last time I saw her?"

"Oh yeah," Starrk said. "She even has the cap from the first bottle of Chappy's Old Fashion Sarsaparilla she ever had."

"Oh God, I remember that. She took one sip and then she just drained the whole bottle," Harribel said, laughing.

"Yeah, and then she asked for another. It's been her favorite drink ever since."

"Those were good times, weren't they?"

"Yeah, but they never really ended."

"What do you mean?"

"Well…since then our family's gotten bigger," Starrk said smiling. "It's the only thing about following Aizen that I don't regret."

"I…I would have to agree," Harribel said and put her head against his shoulder.

They sat like that until Harribel finally fell asleep. When she did, Starrk carried her to her bed roll and laid her down. He then covered her with one of the blankets before returning to his seat next to the fire. He stared into the fire and listened to the night. However, everything felt uneasy. It was as though the desert itself knew that a storm was coming.

**End of Chapter 3**

**A.N.: I really enjoyed writing this chapter, especially the scene at Las Desamparados. I figured that it was the right place to give the Man with No Name (from the Sergio Leone films) a cameo appearance. When I was writing that scene, I was watching "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" and I couldn't help but think that Starrk was a bit like Clint Eastwood's character. As for the dog carrying the hand, that's from "Yojimbo" by Akira Kurosawa (I just loved that shot for some reason). The image of Rudobon and the Exequias Army was partially inspired by how they look in the manga and a scene in the novel "Blood Meridian" by Cormac McCarthy, along with the idea that it would be rather cool if they used bones the way that some warrior tribes use feathers or paint.**


	4. Chapter 4: Wolves Ain't Howl Alone

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 4: Wolves Ain't Howl Alone**

_The Hueco Mundo Wastes, Seven Years Before_

Lilynette ran across the sands of the Hueco Mundo Wastes. She clutched the loaf of bread that she stole from the bandits who had camped near the cave she called home. However, as she was getting ready to steal a small bag of beans, they woke up. Now, they were chasing her and all she had for her pains was this loaf of bread.

Her bare feet were bleeding, leaving a track that the bandits could follow. However, they had no need for the trail of blood.

"COME BACK HERE," one of them shouted.

She did not stop. She did not slow down. She ran until she saw a cluster of rocks ahead of her. She knew that if she was fast enough, she could hide in the rock outcroppings. Unfortunately, she did not see a rather large stone sticking out of the sand and her foot tripped on it. She stumbled, and before she could regain her balance, she fell.

"We gotcha now," another bandit snarled.

"Yeah, now you're gonna learn what happens to those who steal from us," another said, laughing.

One of them took out a knife from the bundle of rags he used as clothes. He grinned down at Lilynette. Lilynette backed away, but the bandit lashed out with his foot and pinned her to the ground. He leaned over her, his drool dripped onto her face. That was when they heard someone approaching. The four bandits looked up and saw another man standing before them.

Lilynette looked at him, her eyes filled with hope.

"Who are you?" the bandit with the knife asked.

The man did not say anything. He only walked closer to them, his long brown duster flew behind him and the grey fur lining the collar fluttered slightly. His shoulder-length brown hair waved around him. He stopped before Lilynette who was looking up at him.

"Please…help me," she moaned.

The man took off his duster, revealing a dazzling white shirt that shone like silver and a brown vest. Two gun belts were strapped across his hips and she could see the grips sticking out with a howling wolf engraved in pure silver. She looked at his eyes and saw that they glowed like gold, or like a wolf's eyes. He wrapped his duster around her and lifted her off the ground. She felt safe being in held in his arms.

"Hey, what are you doing?" one of the bandits asked.

The man looked at him with those glowing eyes and the man backed away, frightened. He looked at each bandit in turn, snarling at them like a wolf. The bandits stood still, unable to move. Then, the man lifted his head to the full moon and howled and he was answered. The bandits became afraid at the melody coming from the wolves' rallying cry. Then they were surrounded. The man turned and two of the wolves moved to allow him through.

"Please, spare us," the bandit with the knife cried out, falling to his knees.

The man only looked back at them, and narrowed his golden eyes at them.

"You hurt this Lobato," he said. "Those who dare attack any Lobato don't deserve to live."

With that, he turned and walked away. He made sure that Lilynette did not see the wolves attack the bandits. He made sure that his duster covered her ears so that she could not hear their cries as the wolves killed and devoured them. However, Lilynette was too focused on his eyes to notice the sounds of carnage. His eyes were now a gentle blue-grey and not golden.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"I'm Lilynette Gingerback. What's your name?"

"My name's Coyote Starrk. Do you have a home?"

"I lived in a cave, but I…oh…my Treasures!"

"It's alright, we can get them now. I have some food. Would you like some?"

"Yeah…I…I was hungry and…"

"Hush, precious Lobato. There's no need for you to remember sad things. Do you remember where your cave is?"

Lilynette nodded and pointed in the direction he needed to go. When they reached the cave, Lilynette rushed, or at least hobbled to where she kept her Treasures. She pulled aside a few rags that made her bed and brought out a small hand-carved box made out of rosewood engraved with LG on the lid. She saw Starrk starting a fire out of some kindling and she sat next to him.

"Does your ankle hurt?" he asked.

"No, it just feels sore."

"May I take a look?"

"Okay," Lilynette said and put her foot on his lap.

Starrk examined it, and felt the ankle itself. He looked at her feet and reached into his pack and brought out strips of leather and chord and made her a little pair of shoes from them. Lilynette looked at him, tears filling her eyes. For a brief moment, she thought she saw her dad in front of her, but then she only saw Starrk.

"Would you like to see my Treasures?" she asked holding out the box to him.

"They're yours to share with whomever you wish," Starrk said.

She thought about it for a moment and then she opened the lid. She brought out the kind of things that only a child would treasure, such as a wilted rose and a smooth white stone. However, the last two items were particularly special to her. The first item she brought out was a lock of light blonde hair that matched her own that was tied with a blue ribbon.

"This was my mother's hair," she said, holding it out for Starrk to take.

He reached out to take it, but hesitated. He did not want to destroy one of this girl's most precious Treasures. However, Lilynette gestured for him to take it. He did and felt how soft it felt and he breathed in the scent of lavender mixed with the usual decay. He knew that in time, the hair would lose its softness. He handed it back to Lilynette, who placed it gently on the blanket next to her with the rest of her Treasures. She then brought out the last item.

It was a heart-shaped locket on a golden chain. Its design was simple, and to most it would have only been a mere trinket, made valuable only by the gold. However, the way Starrk observed Lilynette he could tell that it was the most precious object on Earth for her. She pressed the side button and the locket sprang open. She looked at what was inside, tears filling her eyes. She held it out for him to take and get a better look.

On one side, it had a small picture of a man with light-brown hair and a goatee, much like Starrk's, and a woman with blonde hair tied back with a blue ribbon. They were holding a little girl and they were all smiling. The other side looked as though it could contain another picture, but it was blank. On the outside cover, carved in fine script were the words: LOVE & FAMILY. Starrk returned the locket to Lilynette.

"Thank you, for showing me these," Starrk whispered.

"Does this mean we're family?" Lilynette asked.

"I guess it does. Now, get to sleep, Lobato."

Lilynette fell asleep and Starrk laid his duster over her. He picked up the rosewood box and laid it gently next to Lilynette. He went outside and looked up at the night sky. For so long he had wondered the Hueco Mundo Wastes with only the wolves for company. However, this little girl he encountered had eased his loneliness. He decided that even though he could not be a father to her, he would be like a brother for her.

The next morning, Lilynette woke and saw Starrk cooking some beans and salted meat. She saw the rosewood box next to her and she took it as she walked towards Starrk who was putting the food onto two plates. She put the box down and sat next to him.

"I hope you're hungry," Starrk said giving her a plate that was heaped high with beans and two good-sized pieces of cooked meat.

"Yeah, but…aren't you gonna have more than that?" she asked gesturing to Starrk's plate, which had one small piece of meat and less than half of the amount of beans on her plate.

"This is fine with me," he said. "The main thing is for you to regain your strength. Now, eat up."

At first, Lilynette was hesitant about eating. However, it only took one bite for her to find her appetite and she ate the food with great relish. Starrk gave her cup after cup of water while he ate his meal in silence. He smiled as he watched Lilynette devour her meal.

When they were finished, Lilynette sighed and dropped onto the blankets. Starrk stood up and took their plates and cooking plates and utensils to a nearby stream. After cleaning them, he went further up stream and refilled his water bags. When he returned to the cave, he saw Lilynette sleeping. He decided to take a little nap himself. He placed his blankets close the cave's entrance and was far enough from the entrance that he would not be seen, but close enough to where he could defend the cave if the need should come. He lowered his hat over his eyes and fell asleep.

When Lilynette woke, she saw Starrk still sleeping. She made her way closer to him. Then, a bright gleam of metal caught her eye. Strapped to the outside of his right thigh was a sheathed dagger. The dagger's grip was shaped like a running wolf and it looked as though the brilliant blade was protruding from the wolf's gaping mouth. She thought she saw some writing on the blade and reached out to touch it.

"I wouldn't touch it if I were you. It's pretty sharp," Starrk said, lifting the hat from his eyes and smiled at her.

"I was curious about that knife you have," Lilynette said.

"I see," he said.

He took hold of the wolf hilt and slowly, unsheathed the dagger. The blade shone like white lightning in the sunlight. The golden wolf seemed to be alive. Lilynette couldn't read the engraving that ran down the blade.

"What does it say?" Lilynette asked, gesturing to the engraved writing.

"It says, 'Dejar que Los Lobos están libres y aullar'," he said.

"What does it mean?"

"It means, 'Let the Wolves run free and howl,'" Starrk said, sheathing the dagger, and paused. "Lilynette, would you like to come with me?"

"Sure, but where will we go?"

"We can go anywhere we want. But, let's stick together, like…like family."

Lilynette looked up at Starrk and smiled. She nodded her head. At that moment, both realized that they were indeed a family. As they packed their supplies, Lilynette looked at the Rosewood box she used to store her Treasures. She took out the golden locket and asked Starrk to help her put it on. Starrk did as asked and Lilynette tucked the locket under her tattered dress.

She placed the rest of her Treasures on the ground.

"Are you sure you want to leave them behind?" he asked.

"Yeah, we can get new Treasures," Lilynette said, smiling.

"At least keep the box," Starrk said.

"Oh, I will. This is a very special box, Daddy…" she stopped, looking down to the ground. "Daddy made it for me and Mommy did the lining."

"Then, you shouldn't leave it behind. They would want you to keep it."

She then took out the locket of her mother's hair and went to where she used to sleep. She dug a small hole in the soft ground and laid the hair, still tied together with the blue ribbon, and covered it.

"Bye Mommy," Lilynette said and she began to cry.

Starrk knelt beside her and hugged her. For the first time since her parents were murdered, Lilynette truly wept.

_The Hueco Mundo Wastes, Outside Los Desamparados, Six Years Before_

Harribel felt herself knocked down again. The sand burned the bare skin of her palms, but she paid it no mind. She looked at the man standing before her. He leaned down and she could smell the stench rising from the rotting animal furs he wore. He only had a few patches of colorless hair left, but his face was almost covered in sores.

"Shrieker, that's enough," a rather handsome man said, "I think she's learned her lesson."

"Sir, you promised me…"

"Later, Shrieker, you can have her later. Right now…just hold her. I want to make sure that she understands that refusal to comply will not be tolerated with me, the 'Stallion of Hueco Mundo', Dorian Semental," he said as he approached.

Shrieker wrapped his arms around Harribel and he fondled her large breasts with his left hand. Harribel was disgusted with the lecherous touch of his hand and his heavy panting. She felt him harden and swore that when she got the chance, she would make him pay dearly.

"Now, then," Dorian Semental said. "I want to make something clear to you. When I give you a command, you obey. Now, you might not have realized that when I asked you to take off your clothes, I was _commanding_ you to take off your clothes. So, I'm letting you off easy this time. Now then, my men want some entertainment. Isn't that right men?"

The other ten men cheered at that and moved in closer to where Shrieker was holding Harribel. Their eyes filled with the fires of lust. The closest ones reached out and began pawing her. Harribel gritted her teeth, her rage was building and then Semental noticed the ring on her right hand. He grinned as he reached to remove the golden ring with the single glittering Blood-Star gem. Harribel wanted to attack him, for even daring to touch her mother's ring when a shot rang out.

Harribel felt Shrieker's grip tighten and then loosen as his arms fell away from her. She heard the sound of a body crashing behind her and she turned. Shrieker's corpse was sprawled on the ground and she saw the bullet hole in his left temple. She turned that direction and saw a man who was holstering a gun and a girl standing there.

"Now, that's not a way to treat a lady," the man said.

"Who are you?" Semental asked, his voice was a combination of fear and rage even though his face remained calm.

"I'm Coyote Starrk and who are you?"

"I'm Dorian Semental, the 'Stallion of…'"

"Hey Starrk, do they call him a 'Stallion'? Is it because he's a pretty boy?" the girl asked.

"Keep quiet, Lilynette," Starrk said. "It's impolite to interrupt."

"Hmm, well, I can't blame her for her curiosity. They call me the 'Stallion of Hueco Mundo' because, not only because I am the best looking man around, but I'm also the best lover. Perhaps that little girl of yours would like to find out what true pleasure is. I don't mind demonstrating for her right now."

Starrk only looked at Semental. His face became hard, and his eyes narrowed. Harribel knew that this man was dangerous and that Semental had just sealed his doom.

"Are you saying that you would hurt a child in such a way?" Starrk snarled.

"Oh…I have," Semental said, smiling.

"I see," Starrk said.

"Hey boss, who is this bastard?" one of Semental's men asked.

"He's nobody," Semental said, grinning. "However, he killed Shrieker. I'll let you men handle it, but…bring me the girl."

"Yes sir," the others said and brought out their own knives and guns.

Just as they were about ready to attack, Starrk drew his guns and shot each of them point-blank in the head. Those with guns did not have enough time to aim at him before they were shot down. Harribel was amazed by this show of skill while Semental stared in horror as his men were cut down before his very eyes. He reached for his own revolver. However, as soon as he tried, two more shots rang out and his hands were ruined.

"My…MY HANDS," he shrieked.

Starrk walked towards Semental, holstering his revolvers. Semental dropped to his knees holding out his ruined hands. His eyes widened in terror as Starrk stood over him.

"You don't deserve to live. However, you also don't deserve a quick death," Starrk said as he reached to the dagger that was strapped to his thigh.

Harribel felt the rage radiating from him. She felt her knees weaken and she felt her legs give way. However, that was nothing to what Semental was experiencing. When he saw Starrk standing over him, fear replaced his pain and rage. When he saw the knife, his fear became even greater. His body began to tremble and become covered with sweat. His once handsome features contorted with fear and pain.

"What…what are you gonna do to me?"

"I'm not going to kill you. You're not worth the effort. Instead, I'm going to make sure that you don't hurt anyone else."

"Please…please don't…"

Starrk ignored Semental's pleas and slashed his face. With each slash, Semental felt as though his face was on fire. He shrieked in pain and then he felt the dagger's cold steel touching his crotch. He tried to open his eyes, only to have blood blur his vision.

"There are some things that are worse than death," Starrk whispered and then castrated him.

Semental could not speak or even cry. His eyes widened and curled over into the fetal position. Starrk wiped his blade clean on one of Semental's rags before re-sheathing it. He turned towards Harribel and she felt that he was now releasing an aura of concern for her. He approached her and extended her his hand.

"Are you alright?" Starrk asked.

"I…I'm fine," Harribel said, taking his hand.

Lilynette rushed to them. She stopped next to the curled and extremely hurting Dorian Semental and kicked him. Semental howled in pain and made himself even smaller. She ran to them, giggling.

"Lilynette, there was no need for you to do that," Starrk said.

"Aw, but you got to hurt him. Besides you said that he deserves as much pain as possible. I didn't think he got enough."

"Still, it's not right to hurt them more when they're down. However…I did say that…and he looked like he was getting up…" Starrk said, smiling.

Lilynette smiled back at him and nodded. Harribel smiled a little bit. He put his left hand on the top of her head and rubbed her hair. Harribel couldn't help but think that the two looked like family. She felt a longing for that kind of closeness.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Starrk asked, returning his attention to Harribel.

"Must you continually ask me that? I'm more than capable of handling a few scrapes and bruises. I can take care of myself."

"I know," Starrk said, sighing. "It's just that…it's only natural for me to be concerned when I see…"

"When you see what? I'm not some 'Damsel in Distress' who needs to be watched after like some baby. God, that's just like a man. You must think that you're God's gift to women and you have a responsibility to protect all of the _pretty li'l damsels in distress_."

"Not really," Starrk said. "I'm sorry if I offended you. It's just that I get concerned and a little heated whenever I see someone get hurt for no justifiable reason."

"Oh really, well…thank you for your concern, and I guess I accept your apology. However, I must make one thing very clear to you: I can take care of myself."

"I have no doubt," Starrk said, meaning what he said. "You look like someone who is more than capable of defending themselves from low-lives like him," he said, gesturing to Semental who was trying to crawl away.

"Well…I have to. The Hueco Mundo Wastes aren't kind to women, especially those who are on their own. Those fuckers knew what they were doing, though. They ganged up on me while I was still asleep."

"You don't have anyone with you?" Starrk asked.

Harribel noticed that when Starrk said it, he sounded curious and a bit sorry. She looked at him, expecting to see the look of eagerness that usually came into men's faces when she said she was alone. However, his face showed concern and sorrow. If anyone looked eager, it was Lilynette who was looking at her and then up to him.

"Starrk, maybe she can come with us," Lilynette said. "That way we can really be a family."

"Lilynette, that's enough. Ma'am, don't you have a family who'll miss you?"

"They're dead," Harribel said. "My mother, my father, my little sisters, they're all dead."

"What happened?"

"They…they caught the Bloody Cough," she said.

Starrk looked at her and lowered his head. He was not sure how to respond to that bit of information. Lilynette, however, did not hesitate. She raced to her and hugged her. Harribel was taken aback by the girl's sudden actions. However, Lilynette's hug felt right to her.

"There's no need to remember sad things," Lilynette said.

She looked up and saw Starrk holding a clean handkerchief to her. It was just an ordinary, white handkerchief, but Harribel felt as though it was something to treasure. She took it and wiped the tears from her face. She held back to Starrk, but Starrk gestured for her to keep it. He looked at Lilynette and then back at Harribel.

"Lilynette was also alone when we found each other," Starrk said.

"Lilynette, is that her name?"

"Yes, she's Lilynette Gingerback and I'm Coyote Starrk. What's your name?"

"I'm Tia Harribel," she said, stroking Lilynette's hair.

"Miss Harribel, would you like to join us? I mean…I understand if you don't want to. It's just that…well…Lilynette's taken a liking to you and well…I thought it would be best to ask."

Harribel smiled a little at seeing Starrk get flustered like that. A lot of men had asked her to join them, but when they asked she could tell that they had other things on their minds. Plus, they had a way of making their "requests" seem like the orders they really were. Starrk was different. She could tell that he had no ulterior motives other than giving her someone to travel with. He just didn't want her to be lonely anymore.

She looked down and saw Lilynette looking up at her. Her eyes were wide, as though pleading with her to accept. Harribel smiled down at her and nodded. Lilynette's smile widened, tears glittering in her eyes. Harribel looked at Starrk who was also smiling. She couldn't help but notice that it wasn't the lecherous smile she usually got from men. This smile expressed joy and was sincere.

"Alright, I will, but only on the condition that I do my share of the work."

"Deal," Starrk said and held out his hand.

Harribel took it and they shook hands. She then looked towards Dorian Semental, who was just getting to his feet and kicked him. Semental screamed in pain and he collapsed to his knees. He looked at Harribel with a mixture of fear and hatred.

"You better get out while you still can, worm. However, if I ever see you again, I swear I'll kill you."

Semental got up and hobbled away from them. His pain and humiliation gave way to rage. He knew who they were now. He vowed that one day he would get his revenge on them, especially on the bitch. However, he had to recover first. But when he did, he would do whatever it took to regain the use of his hands. That way he could shoot those two in the back.

Starrk and Harribel watched him go. Harribel looked at Starrk and then at Lilynette. She saw Lilynette was fingering a locket that she wore around her neck and was thinking about something. Starrk saw the expression on Lilynette's face and smiled.

"It's alright," Starrk said. "They're yours to share with whomever you want. Besides, she's family now."

Lilynette brightened at that. She grabbed Harribel's hand and began to lead her away. Harribel looked at Starrk and saw him following, smiling. For the first time in years, Harribel felt as though she was with family.

_Senkaimon Express Rail, Two Years Before_

The Jigokucho trains from raced through the empty stretch of the Gurinbare. Even though the Gurinbare was in the Borderlands of the Gensei Provinces, it was still close to the Hueco Mundo Wastes that Arrancars would sometimes invade to raid the towns or the trains. However, the further south one went in the Borderlands, the fewer Arrancar raids there were, and the Gurinbare was below the so-called 'Hazard Zone'. As a result, security was a bit more lax.

Starrk watched the train pulling into the station. Harribel elbowed him and gestured with a slight tilt of her head to how some of those on board were more attentive to what was going on than others. Starrk gave a slight nod to show that he understood that there were Gotei soldiers. Lilynette was looking at their horses, which were waiting to be loaded onto one of the box cars.

"They're really tightening up security," Harribel whispered.

"Probably after the hold-up that the new gang…what were they called? Oh, that's right. The 'Pantera Gang' did outside Inuzuri," Starrk said.

"Maybe we should call it off," Harribel whispered.

"Let's wait and see. If they don't lower the number of Gotei soldiers on board, then we'll just enjoy the ride."

They watched. When the train came to a complete stop the conductors got off with the platforms to help passengers disembark. Starrk and Harribel watched as passengers came off and some went to the box cars to get their horses. The noticed that some of the passengers, who had the look of Gotei soldiers, get off and none of the official Gotei soldiers got on.

"How many?" Starrk asked.

"There's about four official Gotei soldiers left that I can see," Harribel whispered.

"No surprise there," Starrk said, smiling. "Lilynette, do you have what you need?"

"I sure do," Lilynette said, smiling.

"Did you take care of your part of the plan?"

"Oh yeah, they're ready to go."

Lilynette's part was to set the explosives at the connection between the coal car and the first passenger car. Starrk wondered how that part of the plan would work until Lilynette demonstrated the timing device: a pocket watch attached to a small hammer and flint with the explosives. This demonstration was further evidence of her talent with explosives.

Lilynette's "talent" was first noticed when they were planning a robbery of the First Gensei Provincial Bank in one of the border towns. However, they were unsure of how much explosives use to blow the wall behind the bank's vault. That was when Lilynette, who was looking at the layout of the bank they made, told them exactly how much explosives to use and how they should be bundled for maximum impact. The explosives worked and they were able to rob the bank with the only casualties being a few sticks of dynamite and a section of the rear wall.

Likewise, Lilynette showed an ability at improvising trip wires and other devices to set off explosions when needed. One case was when they hijacked a gold shipment outside a Gotei outpost in the northern Borderlands. As they were being chased, the Gotei cavalry tripped the wires that Lilynette set up and caused a cluster of barrels to explode. The explosion caused the Gotei horses to panic and throw their riders to the ground. However, their own mounts were so used to the explosions that Lilynette made when she experimented that they just ignored the sound.

At first, Starrk was rather nervous whenever Lilynette worked with explosives, and he still felt nervous. However, he also knew that she would be careful with handling the explosives. When he asked her how she learned how to make explosive devices, she just shrugged. However, Starrk suspected that at least one member of her original family knew how to deal with explosives and even showed her some tricks. Regardless, Lilynette showed that she was a force to be reckoned with when it came to explosives, and Starrk had no intention of telling anyone about that.

"All aboard," the head conductor shouted, standing near the train's engine and walking down the platform.

"Alright, let's do this," Harribel said.

The three boarded the train with the other passengers. They entered their compartment and placed their bags on the racks above the seats. They felt the train begin to move.

"How long did you set the timer?" Harribel asked.

"It will take another 50 minutes or so," Lilynette said.

"Well then, you better sit back and enjoy the ride," Starrk said. "I'm gonna take a look around."

Starrk got up and exited the passenger compartment. He went towards the dining car, making sure to look like another passenger off to get himself a drink. He paid attention to the men around him and saw some of them give him a brief glance and then look away. However, those brief glances told him much. Some were mere passengers who only took a brief look at him to make sure they wouldn't bump into each other. However, some of them seemed to study him and he felt that they were from one of the Privatized Squads, but none of the really major ones like the Pinkerton Agency.

When he reached the dining car, he made his way to the small bar where a crowd of men dressed in suits were standing, drinking. Starrk smiled, recognizing them as some of the larger bankers in the Gensei Provinces. They had hit pay dirt. If the bankers were here, then it only made sense that they also brought a shipment of cash and gold for their respective banks with them.

"What can I get for ya sir?" the man behind the counter asked.

"Just some ginger beer," Starrk said.

"Alright sir," the barkeep said and brought out a bottle of Chappy's Crisp Ginger Beer and popped the cap.

"Thanks," Starrk said and took a swig.

He noticed a man and his daughter sitting in one of the booths. The child was eating a plate of spaghetti, but the father looked nervous. Starrk noticed him searching his wallet and pockets and knew that the man didn't have enough money to pay for their meal. He had seen enough people to know that look: the look of a man who spent what little they had on a piece of land to call his own and the ticket to get there. He saw that some of the bankers were looking at the two, most with disgusted looks on their faces.

"Who let them in here?" one of them asked.

"Who even let them on?" another said.

"They obviously bought a ticket," another said. "However, maybe we can get the conductor to get them to leave. They're ruining my drink."

Starrk saw the man's lowered face and knew the look of surrender. He was reaching for his daughter's hand when one of the bankers, a thin, sheepish looking man, walked towards them.

"Excuse me…sir," he said, sounding nervous.

"Please, we were…we were just leaving."

"Oh…no…no I didn't mean that. I just…I think you dropped this," the banker said and held out some folded bills.

"I…I don't think I…" the man said, but the banker put them on the table.

"So…where are ya headin'?" the banker asked.

"We're on our way to Hokutan," the man said. "I bought some land and…"

"You felt that now is the right time to move since it's near planting season," the banker said, smiling at them.

"Yeah..."

"Daddy, can I have some more ginger beer?"

"Uh…sure, Sweetie."

"She can have the rest of mine," Starrk said.

"Oh…that's alright," the man said.

"It's no problem," Starrk said and took one of the glasses on the table.

He wiped the mouth of the bottle with a napkin and filled the glass with the amber, sparkling drink. He waited for it to fizz down before pouring more in, filling the glass. He placed the glass before the girl.

"A young lady should have her ginger beer served in a glass," Starrk said, smiling.

The girl looked up at him and smiled back. Her father, however, only looked worried. He had never known anyone to show him such kindness since his wife died of the Bloody Cough. He was as much a stranger to them as they were to him.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked.

"Well…I don't know about this gentleman," the banker said, gesturing to Starrk. "But, I…I just like helping people…I guess. Anyways, here's my card. I have a small bank in Hokutan and I'm more than willing to help you with any expenses you have."

The man took the card and looked at the name on it. His eyes widened in surprise and his mouth gaped open. He looked at the banker.

"You're…you're _the_ Davis Murphy of Murphy Bankers Association?"

"Yeah…" Davis said, rubbing his head.

Starrk looked at Davis, appraising him. Even though Davis looked timid and rather weak, there was something in how he held himself that spoke of confidence. Starrk then looked at the other bankers and saw the expressions of greed and loathing in them.

"But…but you don't know us…"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I completely forgot to ask you for your names," Davis said, slapping his forehead.

"I'm…I'm James Vale and this is my daughter, Helen."

"Well, Mr. Vale, Miss Vale, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Davis said, holding out his hand.

James Vale took his hand and shook it. Davis took Helen's hand and gently kissed the knuckles. Starrk noticed that Davis's laid-back mannerism helped put the Vales at ease. He knew that he liked this man. It was a pity that he would have to rob him.

"What's your name sir," Davis asked, turning towards Starrk.

"Oh…I'm…Wolfgang Lowell," he said, shaking his hand.

"Well, Mr. Lowell, it's nice to meet you. Are you traveling alone?"

"No, my wife and daughter are with me," Starrk said, remembering their cover stories.

"Well, where are you heading?"

"We're going to Fort Seireitei."

"I see, do you have family in the Gotei, or are you planning on enlisting?"

"We're going to see my wife's brother. He's in the Gotei, Squad 8."

"Oh, I met someone on board who's from Squad 7. Maybe they know each other," Davis said, smiling.

"Really, I would like to meet him," Starrk said. "Do you know if anyone else from the Gotei is on board?"

"Well, like I said, so far I've only met a pair of brothers from Squad 7. Their names are Jidanbo and Jirobo Ikkanzaka. Jirobo's a bit boastful, but Jidanbo's a very nice young man. Anyways, I'm sorry if I'm keeping you from your family. You better get back to them."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure."

"Alright, it was nice to meet you Mr. Murphy. Mr. Vale, Miss Vale, have a good day."

"Uh…have a good day," James Vale said, still a little unsure.

"Bye Mister," Helen said and waved to him.

Starrk waved back and made his way back to his compartment. He saw that Harribel and Lilynette had gotten their bags down and were taking out the guns they brought with them. Starrk got his own bag down and took out his guns and his dagger.

"Lilynette," he said. "When the train stops I want you to go to the stable car and get the horses."

"Okay," Lilynette said.

"Well, did you find out anything?"

"Oh yeah, there are definitely at least two Gotei soldiers on board and I counted about four individuals from one of the smaller Privatized Squads. Oh…there are about six bankers in the dining car, and one of them is Davis Murphy."

"Really, Davis Murphy is on board?"

"Yeah, but I kinda want to go easy on him. He's a good guy, but the other bankers…we can rough 'em up a bit."

"That's good to…"

At that moment, there came a loud explosion from somewhere. The train's wheels began to screech as the engineers had to make an emergency stop. Lilynette fell back into the seat while Starrk grabbed hold of Harribel and hung onto the baggage rack. When the train stopped, the three stood up and looked at each other.  
>"Lily," Starrk whispered. "Was that yours?"<p>

Lilynette shook her head.

"Starrk, what…" Harribel began.

"Oh boy," Starrk sighed. "Well…we're stopped now. Let's get this done before our company arrives."

They grabbed their guns and Starrk and when they reached the outside platform that connected the cars, Lilynette jumped off and ran for the stable car. That was when they saw the three figures galloping towards the train. Starrk rolled his eyes.

"Starrk, they'll be here soon."

"I know."

The two rushed into the dining car.

"Alright folks, this is a robbery," Starrk said. "Put your hands up and don't make any trouble. I would hate to have to shoot anyone."

"Reach slowly for your wallets and hold 'em out," Harribel said.

"Wolfgang, what's…what's going on?" Davis asked.

"Sorry, Davis, but…my name's not Wolfgang Lowell. It's Coyote Starrk and my lovely assistant is Tia Harribel. You…may have heard of us."

Davis walked slowly towards them. He kept his hands up and he reached slowly into his pocket. Harribel looked at him and then at Starrk who only looked at the banker. Starrk saw the hurt look on his face and felt sorry for him. However, business was business.

"Please, don't hurt any of them, Los Lobos," Davis said and held his wallet out.

"I don't want to. However, if they force me, then I won't hesitate to shoot. Don't worry though, I always try to shoot to maim, but never kill."

"So, the rumors were true about that. You're not like most Arrancar gangs."

"I'm only being myself. Thank you for cooperating, Mr. Murphy."

Davis looked to where the Vales were sitting. Starrk saw that Mr. Vale taking out the money that Davis gave him. His daughter looked at Starrk and smiled waving towards him. He couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Mr. Vale," Starrk said. "Please, put your money back. You need it to help start a new life for you and your daughter."

"But…aren't you Arrancars, and aren't Arrancars supposed to be cruel?" James Vale asked.

"Not all Arrancars are like how you picture us. It is true that most Arrancars are cruel and ruthless, but we're not them," Harribel said.

"Alright, then…let's move along," Starrk said. "I want those who can afford to," he said looking at the bankers, "to hold out their wallets."

"THEY WON'T DO ANY SUCH THING, ARRANCAR," someone shouted.

Starrk and Harribel turned and saw a rather large man, almost a giant, standing behind them. He was dressed in the standard Gotei uniform, but instead of a revolver, he held two large tomahawks. His face was wide and strong, but it was also gentle. His long black hair was tied back.

"So, which of the brothers are you?" Starrk asked.

"I am Jidanbo Ikkanzaka, member of Squad 7 of the Gotei 13. I cannot allow you to harm these people in any way and I must put you under arrest."

"Jidanbo, I admire your courage," Harribel said. "However, if you continue this course, then I'm afraid I'll have to shoot you."

Harribel raised her revolver and aimed it at him. However, Jidanbo did not blink an eye. Instead, his grip on his tomahawks only tightened. He was about to rush her when another voice came from the other side of the dining car.

"DROP YOUR GUNS, ARRANCARS."

They turned and saw another large man, though not as large as Jidanbo, aiming his revolver at them. Starrk saw the resemblance and thought that this must be the other brother, Jirobo. However, when he saw Jirobo holding Lilynette, his eyes widened.

"LILYNETTE!" Harribel cried out.

"Jirobo, let the girl go," Jidanbo said, afraid that his brother might do something foolish.

"Sorry, Starrk," Lilynette said. "I got the horses out, but he just grabbed me from behind."

"It's alright, Lilynette. Everything's going to be fine."

"Drop your gun, Arrancars, or I will make her pay."

"Jirobo, we are Gotei soldiers. We don't take hostages to force outlaws to surrender," Jidanbo said, shocked at his brother's cowardice.

"Listen to your brother, Jirobo," Starrk said. "Let the girl go, or I will make sure that you pay."

Jirobo looked at Starrk and at his brother. Starrk saw the fear in his eyes and the shame. Harribel was about to aim her revolver at Jirobo, but Starrk stopped her. Jidanbo looked at the two Arrancars and lowered his tomahawks. He looked at his brother as though pleading him not to do anything foolish.

"Drop your guns and surrender, and then I'll let the girl go," Jirobo said and put his revolver to Lilynette's head.

Jidanbo's mouth gaped open and then another explosion came. Jirobo's hands flinched upwards and Starrk took advantage of the opening. With a quick motion, he unsheathed his dagger and slashed Jirobo's gun hand, dismembering his fingers. Jirobo shrieked in pain and he released Lilynette, who rushed away from him.

"BROTHER!" Jidanbo screamed as Starrk slashed the back of Jirobo's legs.

"You don't deserve to be in the Gotei," Starrk said, looking down on Jirobo's huddled form on the floor. "If your comrades could see you now, they would weep with shame."

"Please, don't hurt him anymore," Jidanbo said, rushing to his brother.

"Don't worry. I won't hurt him, but I suggest that he takes off that uniform. He disgraced his honor, but that is not worthy of death," Starrk said, sheathing his dagger.

Jidanbo looked at him, tears in his eyes. Starrk put a hand on his shoulder.

"You…you're a good man," Jidanbo cried and embraced Starrk.

"Uh…sure…whatever," Starrk said and patted Jidanbo's massive shoulders. "Hey, Lilynette, was that your bomb that distracted Jirobo or was that…"

"It wasn't mine," Lilynette said.

"Starrk, I think we have…" Harribel began, but before she could finish, the wall for the dining car exploded.

The bankers took cover, but it didn't stop the debris and dust from covering their once flawless coats. Davis stepped in front of the Vales, and a bit of debris cut his face. Jidanbo covered the three Arrancars. As the dust settled, they saw the three figures climb into the car.

"God damn it, Sung-Sun, I think you used too much," one of them, a slender woman with black hair and mismatching eyes, said.

"No shit," another, a curvy dark-skinned woman, said.

"Would you two please stop complaining? I got the train to stop and we're in," Sung-Sun said.

"Yeah, and you almost blew our fucking heads off," the woman with black hair said.

"Hey, stop stealing my lines, Apacci," the dark-skinned woman said.

"Oh…shut up, Mila Rose," Apacci snarled.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Mila Rose shouted.

"Stop bickering, we may have a problem," Sung-Sun said.

The other two women stopped and looked at Starrk and Harribel who had just gotten from under Jidanbo's unconscious body. They had their revolvers drawn and aimed at the three new-comers. The three looked at each other and brought out their own revolvers. The passengers in the dining car looked at the two bands of outlaws. Some of the bankers thought of running, but were dissuaded when each outlaw aimed a gun at them while keeping the other trained on each other.

"Well…this is a nice situation," Starrk said.

"Who…the fuck…are you?" Apacci asked.

"We should ask you the same question," Lilynette growled as she struggled to get out from under Jidanbo.

"Be quiet, Lilynette," Starrk said.

"Why are you here?" Harribel asked.

"Oh…we just came by to say 'Hi'. What does it look like? We're here to rob ya," Apacci said.

"Don't you mean you came to rob them?" Starrk asked, jerking his head at the passengers.

"Well…yeah…and you're passengers," Apacci said.

"Actually…we're also here to rob them," Harribel said.

The two groups looked at each other. They waited for the other to make some kind of move. Then Sung-Sun noticed the dagger on Starrk's thigh. Her eyes widened in amazement and she whispered something to her two companions. Their eyes went wide as well and they noticed the dagger.

"Holy…" Mila Rose began.

"…shit," Apacci finished.

"You're…you're Los Lobos," the two said together.

"Uh…yeah…I am," Starrk said, looking slightly confused.

"That means that she must be the 'Blood Star'," Sung-Sun said, gesturing to Harribel.

"You heard of us?" Harribel asked.

"Of course, who hasn't heard of Los Lobos and Blood Star?" someone asked and the sounds of guns being cocked followed.

The five looked around and saw that they were completely surrounded. They saw two men wearing Gotei uniforms standing at the gap behind the three women. The entryways to the dining car were covered by men that Starrk noticed as belonging to the Privatized Squads. Starrk looked at the others and shrugged.

"I guess I forgot about them," he said.

"Lucky for us, you did," one of the Gotei soldiers said.

"Holy shit, we're gonna get a promotion from this," the other Gotei soldier said.

"Indeed, and I'm sure that Captain Kurotsuchi would like to get his hands on them," the other soldier said, grinning.

"You Gotei ain't gonna get yer hands on 'em," one of the other men said.

"Yeah, we're gonna take 'em and collect the money," another said.

"Stop being a bunch of morons. If you help us apprehend them, then you'll get your money. Hell, you'll be paid extra. The Seireitei can pay more than some Borderland sheriff can."

"Hmm, he does have a point."

"Ah…to Hell with arguin', let's just get 'em."

The others agreed and were moving forward when another explosion came. The men looked around, and it gave the five Arrancars enough time to take them out. The men went down in a series of screams of pain and blood flowing from wounds in their arms and legs.

"That was mine," Lilynette said as she was getting to her feet, beaming with pride.

"You caused that explosion, but…but how?" Sung-Sun asked, surprised.

"I used a timer to control when the explosives would detonate," Lilynette said, beaming even more.

"Hmm, most impressive," Sung-Sun said.

"Fuck that, let's just get the money and run," Apacci said.

"Fine, but…not them," Starrk said and gestured to the Vales. "Alright…let's get this over with."

The overall robbery went rather well with the Gotei soldiers and the men from the Privatized Squads unable to do anything. Davis watched as the passengers were being robbed, and was surprised that Starrk would take time to talk with some of them. Sometimes, Starrk would reach into his bag and take out a few bills and give them to a passenger. Whenever he saw a child, Starrk would take out a bag of Chappy's Fruity Chews or Chappy's Fruit Crystals and give them to the child.

The three women were busy bickering among themselves that they didn't get much done. Lilynette was looking into the various passenger compartments, drinking a bottle of Chappy's Old Fashioned Sarsaparilla. Harribel kept an eye on the passengers she was leading.

"So, you must be Davis Murphy," she said.

"Uh…yes ma'am," Davis said, a bit nervously.

"Starrk was right about you," she said. "You may seem like a frightened, lost little lamb, but you have the heart of a lion."

"I…I don't really think so."

"Oh come on, don't be so modest. I saw you when you gave us your wallet. You weren't afraid for yourself, but rather for the safety of the others."

"Well…I…I was scared…but I thought about that little girl and what would happen to her."

"Mr. Murphy, I've been with Starrk for about a year, and I've come to know him. If there's one thing I know about Starrk it's this: he would never hurt a child or anyone who didn't deserve to be hurt. He's the most courageous and gentle man I've ever met. He…knows how to treat people. That's the type of man he is and I see some of that in you as well and also in Jidanbo. It's a good trait to have."

"I…I don't know what to say."

"Just don't say anything," Harribel said, smiling at him.

"Alright, we're done here," Starrk said.

"What about the money in the safe?" Apacci asked. "I mean…there are all of these bankers. They must have money with them."

"Not really," Starrk said, rubbing his head. "I assumed that as well, but it turns out they were on their way to a conference. They…didn't bring any large amounts of gold and cash with them. Isn't that right, Mr. Murphy?"

"Well…for one of the few times…they were actually telling the truth," Davis said.

"Don't worry about it. Anyways…I'm sorry, but…I'm gonna have to lock you in one of the compartments."

"It's alright. I understand," Davis said.

Davis allowed himself to be led to one of the passenger compartments and walked in. Starrk closed the door and locked it with the skeleton key he got from the conductor. He looked at Harribel and Lilynette and nodded. They made their way to the end of the car to leave.

"Hey, where are you going?" Mila Rose asked.

"We don't really know," Starrk said.

"Wait a minute," Apacci said. "Can't we come with you?"

"Uh…why?" Harribel asked, uncertain of what to make of their requests.

"Well…it's just that…" Mila Rose said.

"We admire you both," Sung-Sun said. "The Hueco Mundo Wastes are talking about the exploits of Los Lobos and the Blood Star. In fact, you were our inspirations of getting started in raiding the Gensei Provinces."

"Not to mention, many of the newly formed gangs were inspired by your exploits or the exploits of Rudobon and the Exequias Army," Apacci said.

"Also, you're the most wanted outlaws in all of the Gensei Provinces," Mila Rose said.

"Actually, we're second and third most wanted," Starrk said. "The outlaw called 'Shadow Lurker' is currently the most wanted outlaw in the Gensei."

"Who gives a fuck about him?" Apacci asked. "He's a coward who just hides in the shadows. You actually show your faces and tell your names. That's more badass than hiding in shadows and backstabbing nobles and officials."

"You're really serious about hanging with us?" Harribel asked.

"Damn right," Mila Rose said, grinning.

"Well…what do you think Starrk?" Harribel asked.

"Hmm, well…Lilynette, what do you think?"

"Well, someone needs to teach whoever made those explosive devices the proper way to make 'em. Sure, they were effective, but they were a bit off."

"Hey, what was wrong with my bombs?" Sung-Sun asked.

"There was no control to them," Lilynette said. "Explosives are more than just nitroglycerine in a clay shell. Explosives require you to be able to control them. Otherwise, they might turn on you."

"What are you talking about? Explosives are nitroglycerine in a clay shell."

"Trust me, Lilynette knows what she's talking about," Starrk said. "You may be familiar with using mining explosives, but Lilynette knows how to turn them into an effective weapon."

"Ha, you got burned, Sung-Sun," Mila Rose said, laughing.

"No shit and you got lectured by a little girl about EXPLOSIVES," Apacci howled in laughter.

"Oh, please," Sung-Sun said, covering her mouth to hide her grimace. "While I may not know much about explosives, I do know more about that telegraph machine we saw in that small office. Apparently, someone needs to telegraph in every few minutes."

"It's one of those wireless models?" Starrk asked, suddenly alarmed.

"Ah, I see that you know about that new invention. Yes, it is a wireless model that uses some kind of signal to transmit and receive messages."

"That's not good," Starrk said.

"What are you talking about?" Harribel asked.

"Don't you remember? We heard rumors about a new wireless telegraph being installed on trains in the Gensei Provinces and all Gotei outposts and forts. That means that the Gotei knows that something's happened with this train. We need to get out of here."

They began to run to the horses with the three women behind them. In the distance they could see a dirt cloud heading their way. Starrk helped Lilynette get on her pony, Strawberry, while Harribel got on her own horse, Tiburón.

"Hey! What about us?" Apacci shouted.

Starrk, already mounted on Okami, looked at Harribel and Lilynette. The two looked at him as though telling him it was up to him. Starrk only thought about it for a moment and then smiled. Even though those three were amateurs, they had potential. Plus, it seemed that Harribel really took a shine to them. He noticed that Harribel missed having other women around to talk to. He looked at them and sighed.

"You can come with us, if you want. But, you better hurry."

With that, Starrk, Harribel, and Lilynette began to ride off. Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun rushed to their horses and followed after them. By the time the Gotei patrol arrived, they were long gone. The patrol boarded the train and helped the passengers and conductors and engineers free from their prisons.

"What happened here?" a woman dressed in a Gotei officer's uniform, a regular uniform with a long white coat, asked.

"Well, we just had a run in with Los Lobos," Davis said, smiling.

"Is anybody hurt?"

"You know how train robberies can be," Davis said. "We have a few cuts and bruises and a few broken egos. However, other than that, everyone is fine."

"Private Saido, get on the wireless and inform Fort Seireitei we have a situation. Arrancars have entered Gurinbare."

"Yes, Captain Sui-Feng," the man said and he made his way to the secondary wireless room that was at the very back.

"So, the 'Los Lobos Duo' was here?" Sui-Feng asked.

"Yeah, and so was 'Blood Star'," one of the bankers said.

"Anyone else?"

"Just three women," James Vale said, holding his daughter. "I was able to get their names: Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun."

"Hmm, one of the new gangs," Sui-Feng said. "Ah yes, the 'Diamond Sisters'. You folks were very fortunate. You faced some of the most dangerous outlaws from the Wastes and lived to tell the tale."

Murphy Davis only rolled his eyes. He thought that the reports of them being extremely violent outlaws were rather…exaggerated.

_The Hueco Mundo Wastes, One Year Before_

The six sat around the campfire, eating their evening meal of cornbread and salted pork. Lilynette got up and picked up the packages she got from their visit to Las Desamparados. She had kept them as a surprise for Starrk and Harribel and made sure that Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun could keep them secret. She put the packages before Starrk and Harribel who only looked at them in surprise.

"What's this for, Lily?" Harribel asked.

"Don't you remember?" Lilynette asked. "Today marks the fifth year anniversary that you joined me and Starrk and it also marks the sixth year anniversary that Starrk found me."

"Huh, I never realized that," Starrk muttered.

"Realized what?" Harribel asked.

"I never realized that the day you joined us was exactly one year after I found Lilynette."

"Well, I decided that this year, I should give you a present. Something to reflect our time together," Lilynette said. "I had Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun help."

"We wanted to tell you, but…" Apacci said.

"She swore us to secrecy," Mila Rose said.

"It's alright, Ladies," Harribel said, smiling.

"I told you she would not mind us not telling her," Sung-Sun said.

"SHUT UP, SUNG-SUN!" Mila Rose and Apacci shouted.

"Ladies, please, don't fight," Harribel said.

"Anyways, can we open these now?" Starrk asked.

"Sure," Lilynette said and gave the packages to Starrk and Harribel.

Harribel opened her gift first and held up a long-sleeved white jacket. The jacket itself was rather short and would only reach mid-torso, but she thought that it would go great with the bright crimson sleeveless turtleneck sweater she bought in town. She looked at the back and saw a crimson star sewn onto the back. She immediately put it on and it felt right to her. She smiled at Lilynette and looked at Starrk.

Starrk held the sandalwood box in his hand. He looked at the engraving on the front: a heart with the initials C.S., L.G., & T.H. carved in it. The words: LOVE & FAMILY were engraved to surround the heart. Starrk remembered Lilynette's own box of treasures and knew that she had got one for him. He looked at Harribel who was smiling at him.

"Didn't you get one for Harribel?" he asked.

Lilynette nodded and brought out another box, this one made from cherry wood, with the same engravings. Harribel took it and opened the lid. There was nothing inside. She looked into Starrk's box and also saw nothing inside his.

"You're supposed to fill it yourself," Lilynette said, smiling.

"Thanks, Lily," Starrk said and smiled.

He dug into his pocket and brought out two wood carvings. Harribel looked at them and her eyes widened. She had seen him working on the pieces of wood, but whenever she tried to see it, he always hid it. She suddenly realized that he did not forget today's importance. Both carvings were the same thing: a wolf, cub, and a doe walking together.

The image was that of a dream she shared with him long before. She had that dream occasionally, but it seemed to become even more symbolic of something as time progressed. She never really understood what it meant and doubted she ever would. However, the image remained potent and beautiful for her.

Starrk put one of the carved bits of wood into her hand and then passed the other to Lilynette. Lilynette looked at it, smiling and brought out her Treasure Box from her bag. She wrapped the carving in a light pink handkerchief she found and put it in the box. Harribel brought out the handkerchief that Starrk gave her when she first met him and wrapped it in that. She opened her box and put it inside.

"Thank you, Lily," Starrk said. "Although, I think that perhaps our guest should join us."

"What guest?" Mila Rose asked.

Harribel, Sung-Sun, Apacci, and Mila Rose looked around them. Lilynette only looked up at Starrk who was smiling. He rubbed her head and stood up.

"You can come out now. There's no need for you to continue lurking in the shadows," Starrk said.

"My…this is…rather interesting," the monotone voice said. "No one has ever known that I was following them without me wanting them to know."

They looked at the shadows, but Starrk only looked at the fire.

"Are you the one they call 'Night Bringer'?" he asked, although his tone said that he already knew.

"This is rather interesting. You even know who I am. I do not remember telling you who I was."

"You didn't, but your reputation precedes you, Ulquiorra Schiffer," Starrk said.

That was when the women saw the figure stepping from the shadows. He was medium-height and dressed completely in black except for the silver bat brooch he wore on his left lapel. His pale face was framed by his messy black hair. His emerald eyes examined them and then stayed on Starrk's back.

"So, you are Los Lobos, Coyote Starrk," he said. "You are the only one to ever find me without my desire to be found."

"Perhaps you shouldn't have been tracking me."

"I see. However, I was hired to find you."

"I guess those three men on the other side of the ridge sent you."

"Yes, and they would very much like to meet you."

"Well, you can tell them to come down here if they want to talk," Apacci said.

"You are rather rude," Ulquiorra said. "However, I do not see why they should not come here to speak with you. Very well, I shall go and speak with them."

Ulquiorra then slipped back into the shadows. Harribel was amazed that they actually saw the "Night Bringer" himself and was even more surprised that Starrk actually caught him tracking them. From what they heard, no one had ever seen "Night Bringer" when he was tracking them, at least until they died.

They sat in silence until they heard footsteps approaching them. They looked up and saw a man with brown hair standing before them. His hair was combed back, except for a curl of hair that hung over his left eye.

"Good evening," he said. "I am Souske Aizen, also known as 'Shadow Lurker'."

"I see," Starrk said. "What do you want with us?"

"I am looking for comrades to join me in fighting against the Gensei Provinces. I heard rumors about a band of outlaws led by the notorious 'Los Lobos' and 'Blood Star'. I sent Ulquiorra to find you, and he has apparently found you. I was rather astonished to hear that you knew he was there. How did you know?"

"I just knew," Starrk said, getting to his feet. "Why should we join you?"

"Because, I don't think you have anything else to do right now."

"I suppose," Starrk said, thinking. "However, if we were to join, it must be a unanimous decision. If any of them don't wish to join, then we won't."

"I understand," Aizen said.

"There's no need to vote, Starrk," Apacci said. "We'll go wherever Mistress Harribel goes."

"That's right," Mila Rose said. "The only two who need to make the decisions are you and Harribel."

"We will trust whatever decision you make," Sung-Sun said.

"Starrk, maybe we should go," Lilynette said, although she was a bit apprehensive.

"Starrk, you know my choice," Harribel said. "I'll go wherever you go, like we promised."

Starrk looked at the five members of his pack…his family. He thought about it. He didn't trust Aizen, but he also knew that Aizen would not stop until he agreed. He knew that if he refused, then the odds were likely that Aizen might send someone to kill them. He didn't want to put them in that kind of danger. However, he also didn't know what kind of danger he would put them in if he agreed. However, the odds were likely that if they joined they might find other Arrancars who would be willing to help them if the need arose.

"Alright, we'll join," Starrk said.

"I'm glad to hear it," Aizen said, smiling. "I'll bring my two companions and Ulquiorra over and we'll leave in the morning."

Starrk watched Aizen leave. He began to wonder if he made the right decision.

_Las Noches, Four Months Before_

"As you know, my dear Espada," Aizen said to the ten Arrancars sitting around the wooden table. "Two nights ago, we were invaded. The invaders took our prisoner and are returning to Karakura Town. I have decided that the time has come to attack."

"Alright," Yammy cried out, laughing.

"When do we leave?" Aaroniero asked in his raspy voice.

"We leave at dawn," Aizen said.

"Shit, why wait? I say we leave now and kill the fuckers," Nnoitora said.

"Who's going to be in charge?" Baraggan asked.

"I am…at least until we reach the Garganta Pass. After that, I'm going to put Starrk in charge."

"What? You're going to put this…this NOBODY in charge?" Baraggan roared.

"My decision on that matter is final," Aizen said.

"Well, I hope I can at least bring my Crimson Dragons with me."

"I've decided that no fraccion should come."

"WHAT?" Baraggan and Harribel yelled.

"Aizen, why would you decide not to let the fraccion follow their Espadas?" Szayel Aporro asked.

"Well…" Gin answered, smiling at them. "Lord Aizen has decided that the fraccion should remain behind so that way there's no chance of…friendly fire."

"That's correct," Aizen said. "Also, there should be no need for them to come. The Gotei will not expect an attack on Karakura Town so soon. So…the fraccion and lesser Arrancars are to remain here."

"This is bullshit," Grimmjow said. "I'm not gonna leave my Panteras behind."

"Then you won't be able to get back at Ichigo Kurosaki for giving you that," Aizen said and gestured to the scar running down Grimmjow's chest.

"There's no way I'm going to leave my Crimson Dragons behind."

"Baraggan, do not doubt Lord Aizen's wisdom," Zommari said. "If Lord Aizen says not to bring our fraccion, then he must have faith in our abilities as Espadas to crush Karakura Town on our own."

"We'll see," Baraggan muttered.

"That is all. You are dismissed," Aizen said.

With that, the other Espada left. However, Starrk did not leave. He did not like the idea of leaving Lilynette behind with the other fraccion and lesser Arrancars. Aizen saw Starrk still at his seat and frowned.

"What's the matter, Starrk?"

"I won't go."

"Oh…and why not?"

"I won't leave Lilynette behind. I made a promise with her that we would go anywhere together, and that includes into the storm."

"Starrk, I understand your concern. However, my decision is final. No fraccion are to accompany us to Karakura Town."

"Then, I will not ride with you."

"What about Harribel? Aren't you worried that she might get hurt?"

"Harribel can take care of herself. I have faith in her abilities."

"I see. So…if I don't allow you to take Lilynette with you, then you will not ride with your comrades?"

"That's right."

"I need you, Starrk. I need your abilities to help crush the Gensei Provinces."

"Then let me take Lilynette with me. I will be responsible for her. If anything happens to her, then I will take care of her."

"I see…hmm…very well, the girl may come. Would you like me to throw in Harribel's fraccion into the bargain?"

"That is for Harribel to decide."

"I see. If that is all, then you may leave."

"Yes sir," Starrk said and walked out.

Harribel stood, waiting for him. He saw Ulquiorra sitting at one of the fires cleaning his guns. Grimmjow was arguing with his fraccion. Starrk shook his head. He didn't really understand why he felt that Lilynette should come with him. He hoped that he wasn't putting her in too much danger.

"Well, what did you speak with him about?"

"I don't know, but…I feel that Lilynette should come along."

"But, she's just a child."

"I know. It's just that…I made a promise to her that we would go anywhere together."

"And you think that includes a battlefield?"

"I know. Maybe I shouldn't have asked him, but…"

"I understand. You think that Lilynette will be safer with you than here."

"That's right. He also asked me if he wanted me to include your fraccion."

"What did you say?"

"I said that it was your decision on whether or not you wanted them to come."

"Good, I don't think they would appreciate you speaking on my behalf. I know that I wouldn't."

"So, do you want them to come?"

"No, but…I don't think they should stay here."

"I think that some of the others are thinking along the same ground. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Baraggan and Grimmjow are giving their fraccions details on where to meet them should things go sour. I think that you should do the same thing."

"Why?"

"'Cause I don't trust Aizen. He's up to something."

"Did you tell Ulquiorra and Grimmjow this?"

"Yeah, I made sure to tell them. They're both thinking the same thing, but Grimmjow seems to be too focused on getting revenge to even notice it. Ulquiorra…well…he's Ulquiorra. It's hard to read him, but he has some of the same feelings about Aizen."

"Starrk, if something happens, I want you to keep this," Harribel said and took her ring off and handed it to Starrk.

"But, Harribel, this is your mother's. Why…why would you give it to me?"

"Let's just say that I trust you to keep it safe. You can keep it in your Treasure Box."

"Alright, I understand," Starrk said and took the ring.

He looked at Harribel. If something was to happen, he would have to make sure that he got her out. He would make sure that she and Lilynette would survive at any cost. In the distance, he could hear the wolves begin to howl. He looked at the ring and saw engraving on the inside in a flowing script.

"The engraving," Starrk said. "What is it?"

"'Sacrificio hace al Mundo'," she said. "It's my family's motto. It means: Sacrifice makes the World."

**End of Chapter 4**

**A.N.: Sorry it took me this long to write this chapter. This is the first "Flashback Chapter" out of three, possibly four. The next chapter will get back to the regular story. Thanks for reading.**


	5. Chapter 5: El Aumento de las Sombras

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 5: El Aumento de las Sombras**

_Las Noches_

"Well, look at you," the figure said and reached up and lowered the hood.

Grimmjow's eyes widened when he saw the long, flowing green hair spill out like a waterfall. Hazel eyes looked into his own blue eyes and he saw the familiar smile.

"Nel?" he whispered.

"Hey Grimm, long time no see," Nelliel Tu Odelschwank said.

"Jesus Christ, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" he asked, smiling.

"No…just trying to scare ya."

"Well…you scared the shit out of me, Nel. Uh…would you mind pointing your rapier somewhere else?"

"Why? I kinda like ya like this."

"I thought you said you were a Masochist."

"Well…I can also be Sadistic at times," she said in a seductive tone and then laughed.

"What the fuck happened to you? Hell, we missed you."

"I'll explain later," Nel said, sheathing her rapier. "For now…where're Starrk, Lilynette, and Harribel? I didn't see them earlier."

"They're gone."

"What do you mean 'gone'? Don't tell me they died," Nel cried out.

"No…no…no…they're alive. They just left. They're on their way to Karakura Town to warn them about Aizen."

"What…what happened while I was gone?"

"Aizen betrayed us. He almost killed Ulquiorra and Harribel during the attack on Karakura Town and Starrk shot him. Anyways, Ulquiorra, Harribel, and Starrk are trying to raise the alarm and get allies to fight against Aizen."

"Then…what are you doing here?"

"I'm acting as their spy. They need someone on the inside to keep them informed."

"Hmm, it seems that a lot has happened since I was gone," Nel said. "Well…at least Aizen doesn't know about you being a double agent."

"Yeah, no shit," Grimmjow said, smirking at her. "So, where are Pesche and Dondochakka?"

"They're waiting for me back at the cave I'm using as a hideout. Those two…saved my life…"

"Nel, did something happen?"

"I said I'll tell you later, but right now, you need to tell me exactly what's going on."

"Alright, where do you want me to begin?"

"How about…after I left?"

_Gotei Headquarters, Fort Seireitei_

Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya walked down the hall with his Lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto, by his side. The report they got from Karakura Town was enough for Captain General Yamamoto to call an emergency session. The Gotei was immediately put on High Alert and rumors were abounding that a deployment to the Borderlands was very likely.

"What is going on?" Captain Hitsugaya asked himself.

"Captain, are you talking to yourself again?" Rangiku asked, wiping the sweat off her enormous bosom with a cloth.

"Never mind, Rangiku," Hitsugaya said.

"You know…it's not a good sign when you begin talking to yourself."

"Just drop it, Rangiku."

"You're no fun."

"Look, we have a duty to perform, and if the latest reports are true…"

"I know," Rangiku said, becoming serious. "Do you think that's why the Captain General called an emergency meeting?"

"There's no question about it."

They reached the large double doors that led to the Captain's Meeting Hall. The doors opened and they entered. Hitsugaya saw that all of the other Captains, except for Aizen and Kenpachi and Sui-Feng, and their Lieutenants, except for Yachiru and Omaeda, were already gathered. Standing in front of them was Captain General Yamamoto with the Captains from the even-numbered squads on his right and the odd-numbered squads on his left. Toshiro and Rangiku made their way to their spots in between Captains Kyoraku and Kurotsuchi. As soon as Hitsugaya was in his position and Rangiku was against the wall between Nanao and Nemu, Yamamoto called the meeting to order.

"I have called this emergency session of the Gotei Captains and their Lieutenants because of the recent reports from Karakura Town," he said. "It would appear as though three of the most dangerous Arrancars we faced only four months before have returned to the Gensei Provinces."

"Who are these Arrancars?" Captain Komamura asked, his wolf-like face looking worried.

"They are none other than Ulquiorra Schiffer, Tia Harribel, and Coyote Starrk," Yamamoto said.

The Captains and Lieutenants looked at each other. Murmurs arose at that news. Kyoraku and Ukitake looked at each other. Other than Captain Hitsugaya, they were the only ones to face any of the three Espada mentioned.

"However, so far, they only caused a slight disturbance in Kagamino," Yamamoto continued. "It is unclear what their intentions are, but Ichigo Kurosaki mentioned that he sent members from the Visored Squad and the Xcution Squad to investigate and apprehend the Arrancars.

"However, we have a much larger concern. It deals with the recent assassination of two Chief Justices at the Central 46 Rotunda."

"But that's impossible," Captain Shusuke Amagai said. "Isn't the Central 46 Rotunda supposed to be one of the safest places in all of the Gensei Provinces other than Fort Seireitei itself?"

"It is, however, even the most secure fort can be breached," Captain Ukitake said.

"By the way it sounds…" Captain Kurotsuchi said. "It would appear as if 'Shadow Lurker' is involved somehow."

"Indeed, and that is why I have decided that the Gotei should investigate this matter. Captain Kuchiki, since your sister is working on this matter with Ichigo Kurosaki, you are to go and help with the investigation."

"Yes sir," Captain Byakuya Kuchiki said, giving a simple nod of his head.

"Likewise, Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake, you are to go as well. You had dealings with Coyote Starrk before and I want you to interrogate him when he is captured."

"You seem rather sure that he'll be taken," Kyoraku said, lowering his Panama hat slightly over his face.

"I am confident that they will be apprehended," Yamamoto said.

"There has also been word that the northern Borderlands may be in danger," he continued. "Captain Kenpachi Zaraki is already fortifying Fort Zaraki, but Fort Kusajishi is too isolated from Fort Zaraki for Captain Zaraki to oversee its defenses. Captain Amagai, you are to go to Fort Kusajishi and oversee its defense."

"I understand sir," Captain Amagai said.

"Uh…sir…has there been any word from Captain Aizen?" Lieutenant Momo Hinamori asked.

"We have not received word from him as of yet. However, he is most likely still tracking the other Espadas and hasn't had time to make his report. Likewise, we have not received a report from Captain Sui-Feng yet."

"That's surprising," Captain Kyoraku said.

"Do you think we should send someone to find out what happened to her?" Captain Shuhei Hisagi asked.

"There is no need," Captain Yamamoto said. "I am confident that she will report back to us in a few days time. Regardless of whether or not something has happened to her, she will always complete her mission.

"Now, that is all. This meeting is adjourned," Yamamoto said.

_Las Noches_

Sui-Feng sat on the bunk in her cell. Omaeda was snoring away in the cell next to her. She could not believe that she had been captured so easily. Now, she was surrounded by enemies and her Lieutenant was too busy taking a nap to help come up with a plan to escape. Of course, he would most likely be useless at doing that as well. She heard the door to the cells open and looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Well…I'm glad to see you're awake," Ggio Vega said.

He was carrying two bowls filled with some kind of broth with small pieces of meat and vegetables floating around. He looked at Omaeda and smirked as he pushed one of the bowls into his cell. He then looked at Sui-Feng. Their eyes met, and she could see that he was enjoying this.

"You know…you're lucky to still be alive," Ggio said. "I guess Lord Baraggan wants to keep you alive a little bit longer. That way you can witness the Gensei Provinces fall."

"The Gensei Provinces will never fall," Sui-Feng said.

"Oh please…of course they'll fall. 'Shadow Lurker' and his pals already hold positions of power and even have control over some high-ranking officials."

"What are you talking about?" Sui-Feng asked, still trying to do her duty.

"Nuh-uh…I ain't sayin' another word. It's supposed to be a surprise."

"Why keep it a surprise from me? I'm only going to die."

"Ah…still tryin' to do your duty? Nah, you won't die like that. Lord Baraggan wants to see the look on your face when you see who was behind the whole thing. Now…eat," he said and shoved the bowl of broth through the bars and across the floor.

"I'm not hungry."

"Oh…do you want me to force it down your throat? Lord Baraggan wants you alive and he told me to do whatever it took to make sure you stayed alive."

"What about him, then?" she asked, pointing at Omaeda's sleeping form.

"You are a cold bitch," Ggio smirked. "Do you really want him dead?"

"He's a useless idiot who only thinks about food, money, and his fucking dog."

"My…you are cruel. After all, you got him into this mess in the first place, didn't you?"

Sui-Feng knew that he was right. Even though Omaeda was a useless fool, he was also loyal. When she was given the mission, he offered to go with her and she actually agreed to let him come. In a way, Ggio was right. If he did die, it would be her fault. She had let her guard down long enough for Baraggan's Crimson Dragons to capture them.

"I…I guess you're right," Sui-Feng said, hoping that she was making the right move.

"Huh? You…you're actually agreeing with me?"

"Well…I wouldn't go that far," Sui-Feng said, smiling.

"Whatever, just be glad that I got babysitting duty for ya and not Cuuhlhourne."

_Urahara Shop, Karakura Town_

Kisuke Urahara looked at the reports that Yoruichi was able to retrieve from Gin Ichimaru's office. However, there was nothing in them about a deal with Tosen. Nor did he find anything that could shed light on the assassinations of two Chief Justices.

"Maybe we're looking at this wrong," Tessai said.

"What do you mean?" Urahara asked, looking at the large man sitting across from him.

"Well…what if there's a third party involved?"

"You mean like someone from one of the Privatized Squads?"

"Yes," Tessai said, nodding his head. "It would make the most logical sense."

"Hmm, the only Privatized Squad that I can think of that could have any chance at assassinating two Chief Justices in the Central 46 Rotunda would be the Kage no Tanken Squad."

"Then that might be the best place to start. Don't they have a central headquarters like the others?"

"That's the problem, they don't. From what I gather, they have contacts all over the Gensei Provinces who know how to get into contact with them. However, getting in contact with them is extremely difficult. The best way to get in contact with them is to let them come to us."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, boss?"

"No, but what other choice do we have? Besides, if we continue investigating, then one of them will turn up."

_Pinkerton Agency Offices, Karakura Town_

Tsukishima sat behind his desk. The electric light lamp gave off its soft luminescent glow as he read the file that Gin gave him on Yoruichi Shihoin. He already knew most of the information he received, but it was always best to go over it again and again. That way, you didn't miss a thing. He knew that as Captain of Squad 2 in the Gotei she had been head of the Onmitsukido Squad.

"Have you found out anything new, Hanza Nukui?" he asked, without looking up from the files.

"You are good," the assassin said, stepping out from the shadows. "I only just arrived and you noticed."

"It's my job," Tsukishima said. "Have you found out any new information?"

"Yes, Aizen has gotten Rudobon to side with him and he is on his way to meet the Plateado Brothers, Arturo and Mordred. Then, he'll be heading back."

"I see. If he can get the Plateado Brothers to side with us, then we'll have control of the Hueco Mundo Privateers. Already, two-thirds of the attack plan is in place."

"What attack plan?"

"Never mind," Tsukishima said. "Anyways, have you been following Yoruichi Shihoin as I asked?"

"Yes, and I have another one of my men, Jin Kariya, following Kisuke Urahara."

"What have you found out?"

"It's as you suspected. Yoruichi Shihoin and Kisuke Urahara are still investigating the Hogyoku United Bank."

"I see. Then they must be eliminated, but not right now. There's another individual I want for one of your assassins to take out. I believe that Aizen has made a mistake in ignoring him. He could…become a threat."

"Who is it?"

"It's a former Espada currently living outside the border town of El Atormentado. He is something of a weapons expert. I believe that some of your men may have had a run-in with him."

"Are you talking about Szayel Aporro Granz?"

"Yes, I am. I think that Starrk wants to get him to side with him. If he does…"

"I understand. I'll send Jinnai Doko, Genga, and Mabashi out to pay him a little visit. They'll be more than happy to get rid of him."

"Good, and remember, don't fuck this up. It's important that we get as many loose ends out of the way before we launch the final stage."

"When would you like me to take care of Yoruichi and Kisuke?"

"I'll let you know. There's a chance that someone else may have acquired their services."

"What do you mean?"

"I looked over the files that you retrieved from the Chief Justice's office. There was mention of a joint-investigation. That usually means that another party has a similar investigation going on, either that or they're working with another agency. However, I believe it to be the former. Someone else is investigating Tosen. However, as soon as we find out whom this third party is…"

"I understand. I'll make sure that I have my best assassins on it when the time comes."

"I'm glad to hear it," Tsukishima said. "Now, you may leave."

When Hanza Nukui left, Tsukishima sighed and sat back down behind his desk. He took out a sheet of paper that he kept hidden under the false-bottom of the top drawer and opened it. He looked at the sheet and took out a fountain pen. He then proceeded to extend the list. When he finished, he looked at the names:

Ichigo Kurosaki

Isshin Kurosaki

Ryuken Ishida

Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto

Shinji Hirako

Kugo Ginjo

Coyote Starrk

Tia Harribel

Ulquiorra Schiffer

Szayel Aporro Granz

Yoruichi Shihoin

Kisuke Urahara

?

Kaname Tosen

When Tsukishima looked over the list, he nodded. He folded the paper and put back under the false bottom. He knew that it was necessary, but he felt a little sorry that Tosen would have to be eliminated. He was just drawing too much attention and that was putting him, Aizen, and Gin in a rather fragile situation.

"Sorry, Tosen," he whispered as he closed the drawer.

_Kurosaki Clinic, Karakura Town_

Isshin Kurosaki sat at the table. His good friend, Ryuken Ishida, sat across from him, fingering the glass of whiskey before him. They looked at the third man who was sitting with them. The only reason the third man was there was because he hired Kisuke to investigate Kaname Tosen. However, unlike the now-deceased Chief Justice who did the same, he was careful about leaving tracks.

"So, Kisuke decided to keep up with his investigation?" Isshin asked.

"Of course, he did," Ryuken said. "He knows the risks, but he was always a risk-taker."

"That's true," Isshin said, taking a drink of whiskey. "How's your son doing by the way?"

"He still has that limp," Ryuken said. "However, he can handle a gun again."

"Then that means that he can fight when the time comes?"

"Yes, but I would rather keep him out."

"Do you think it will really come to that?" the third man asked.

"It seems likely," Isshin said. "Three Espada are in the Gensei Provinces, heading towards us."

"Which three Espada?" the third man asked.

"Let's see. From what I heard, they're Ulquiorra Schiffer, Tia Harribel, and Coyote Starrk. Also, I've received reports that the Arrancars are gathering in larger numbers than before," Isshin said.

"So, 'Shadow Lurker' is on the move," the third man said. "However, I don't think those three Espada will give us any trouble."

"What makes you say that?" Isshin asked, curious.

"Because…I met two of them before," Davis Murphy said.

_The Sabaku Desert_

Mila Rose watched Starrk. He was crouched on top of a tall pile of rocks, staring into the desert. He had been that way for most of the night.

"How long is he gonna be like that?" she asked. "It's creeping me out."

"That's because you're not used to it," Lilynette said, taking a bite from the roll she held. "He does it quite a lot. Sometimes he just stares out there for hours on end without even blinking."

"When he does this…is he, ya know, waiting for something?" Apacci asked.

"He's waiting for the wolves," Harribel said.

The three turned to look at her, but Lilynette only nodded in agreement, smiling. Even though the Diamond Sisters had ridden with Starrk for about two years, they never really noticed this odd behavior before. Most likely because he was not comfortable with doing it with them watching and would go off somewhere to perform this ritual. Harribel remembered that it took about a year for him to be comfortable enough to let her see this.

"Man, you must have really gotten to know Starrk," Mila Rose said.

"Yeah, we rode together for four years before you gals came along," Harribel said.

Starrk's head cocked up and he grinned. He drew a deep breath and let out a long howl. Lilynette grinned and she let loose her own wolf cub howl. As though in response, the air was filled with howling wolves. Sung-Sun was surprised to hear so many wolves at any given time. She assumed that there must be at least twenty packs in the area. However, she was surprised that none of their horses were panicking.

Apacci, however, put her fingers in her ears and groaned. She hated the sound that wolves made. Mila Rose looked around, to make sure that they weren't being surrounded. Harribel only laughed and shook her head. She knew that it would get some taking used to, but they would eventually.

"Alright, let's get going," Starrk said as he mounted Okami.

They were about to leave when a wolf leapt into the middle of the road and barked at them. It was looking at Starrk with its golden eyes. Starrk dismounted and approached the wolf. He let out a series of howls and snarls and barks while holding out his hand. Harribel had only seen Starrk do this twice before and she did not know what to make of it.

"Uh…Starrk, what are you doing?" Apacci asked, confused and a little frightened.

"It's alright," Lilynette said. "He has a…connection with wolves."

"You mean like Perrin Aybara?" Sung-Sun asked, referring to one of her favorite series of novels.

"Uh…I guess," Lilynette said, not knowing what she was talking about.

They watched as Starrk and the wolf were continuing to converse. Then Starrk gave what sounded like a series of commands and the wolf nodded its head to show that it understood. As it bound away, Starrk looked back to his companions.

"Well, what the hell was that all about?" Mila Rose asked.

"We…may have a problem," Starrk said. "Ulquiorra got word back from his spy in Las Noches. Apparently Aizen has told the other Espada that we were the ones who betrayed them."

"What?" Harribel asked, shocked.

"Wait a minute. How the hell do you know that?" Apacci asked.

"The wolf told him," Sung-Sun said, as though it should have been obvious. "Like I thought, he does have a connection with wolves, just like Perrin Aybara."

"I suppose," Starrk said, knowing what she was talking about since he also enjoyed the _Wheel of Time_ series. "Ulquiorra has the same connection with bats. The animals can converse with each other, but when they try to converse with humans…most just don't take the effort to listen."

"Enough of that," Harribel said. "What's this about Aizen?"

"Oh…well, Aizen told the other Espada that we were the ones who betrayed them. Most of the Espada and Arrancars are starting to believe him thanks to Zommari. Also, Baraggan rejoined him. Hold on," Starrk said when he saw that they were going to ask him more questions. "I think that Baraggan only rejoined him to have an opportunity to take his vengeance on Aizen. However, he has decided to kill us as well, so we can't exactly consider him friendly."

"Is that all?"

"No, there's more. Aizen has gotten the Privaron Espada to rejoin him and he's currently seeking to recruit the Exequias Army and the Plateado Brothers. If he gets hold of the Exequias, then he can come down from the north and take out the northern Gotei outposts. If he gets hold of the Plateado Brothers, then he can easily gain control of all of the major mercenary forces in the Hueco Mundo Wastes and the Borderlands."

"Holy shit, he's building an army," Apacci said.

"Yeah, but…why didn't he do this before?" Harribel asked.

"I think…he knew that he wouldn't be able to get the resources he needed to bring down the Gensei Provinces without…" Starrk began and then he stopped.

"What is it?"

"The Espada…we were nothing more than the opening pieces to his schemes to bring down the Gensei Provinces. If you want to bring down a nation, what's the best way to do it?"

"Oh…oh God," Harribel said as the realization came over her. "You weaken it from within and then you can invade from the outside."

"That's right. I wondered why they became what they are now. Tosen became a Chief Justice in Central 46, thus giving them a foothold in the legal and political system. Gin became President of Hogyoku United Bank, a foothold in the economic system. Aizen became a Captain in the Gotei, a foothold in the military," Starrk said.

"That means that it's a simple matter of getting the pieces in place before he can begin," Sung-Sun said.

"But…what does that make us?" Apacci asked.

"We're the pieces in the middle," Starrk said. "We can either be the first ones crushed, or we can do something unexpected and at least slow Aizen down."

"Well…let's make sure that we don't get crushed," Mila Rose said.

"What about Szayel Aporro? Was there any news on him?" Harribel asked.

"Ulquiorra found Szayel Aporro and he talked with him. However…"

"What?"

"Szayel Aporro has, for the time being, decided that he won't get involved."

_Sheriff's Office, Karakura Town_

"'The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed,'" Rukia read.

"What are you muttering about?" Renji asked from his desk.

"Oh…I was just reading this book I bought. I just fell in love with the opening sentence."

"Huh, let me see that," Renji said.

"Oh…sure," Rukia said and handed the book to him.

"Huh…Stephen King…never heard of him," Renji said handing the book back.

"Really? Wow, Renji, you must have been living under a rock."

At that moment, Ichigo walked in. He hung his hat one of the hooks on the wall. He ran his hand through his orange hair and sat at his desk. He sighed as he opened the file on his desk and took out three of the sheets. He examined each one and then looked up at his deputies.

"Do we have any new information on the movements of the three Espada?"

"Not yet," Rukia said.

"But we stationed Kensei and Mashiro at Junrinan," Renji said. "If their keeping on their course, they should reach Junrinan sometime today."

"Unless they decide to go around it," Ichigo said, but he thought that they would go through Junrinan. "What about Ulquiorra?"

"We seem to have lost him," Rukia said.

"No surprise there," Renji scoffed. "He's up to something, but we don't know what."

"He'll turn up," Ichigo said.

"How do you know?" Renji asked.

"If the other two want us to know where they are, then chances are that when the time is right, so will Ulquiorra."

As Ichigo was finishing, Akon rushed in. The three looked at him, wondering what bad news he just received. However, he was actually grinning. He held out the telegram to Ichigo. Ichigo took the telegram and Akon eyed each of them in turn.

"Hey, guess who's coming back to Karakura Town," Akon said.

_Senkaimon Express Rail Station, Karakura Town_

Uryu Ishida leaned on the silver-headed walnut walking stick as he waited for the train from Fort Seireitei to arrive. The wounds he received from Ulquiorra still hurt sometimes and his dad told him that he have the limp for the rest of his life. However, just because he required the aid of a walking stick did not mean that he could not use a gun.

He and his father were the last of the Quincy Squad, a band of soldiers who would travel deep into the Hueco Mundo Wastes to track down the most dangerous Arrancars. However, the Quincy Squad was almost completely destroyed in the Desatoya Mountains at a place called Dagger Creek less than five years ago. Victims of Rudobon's "Reign of Terror" along the Borderlands before he was driven back at the Calaveras Mountains in the north.

When Uryu found out that his grandfather was killed at Dagger Creek, he swore vengeance against Rudobon and against the Arrancars. He could not believe that only about five months before, Arrancars had taken one of his best friends and he helped in the raid against Las Noches to free her. Then, only a few days later, he was almost killed defending Karakura Town against the Espada. If he hadn't received medical attention as soon as he did, he would most likely have died.

"Hey, Uryu, how are you?" Chad asked from beside him.

"Well…aside from still being in pain…I'm doing just fine. Where's Ichigo?"

"He's coming. He just needed to get her a Welcome Home gift."

"Well, that's sweet of him."

"Hey Chad, Uryu," Ichigo said as he was making his way to them on the platform.

Chad and Uryu turned and saw Ichigo dressed in his usual jeans and white shirt with black coat. He was carrying a bouquet of flowers. Neither was surprised to see Renji and Rukia with him. Uryu smiled at the thought of the whole gang being together for the first time since the battle against the Espada. He allowed his thumb to trace the figure of the Archer, the official symbol of the Quincy, imprinted on silver head.

They heard the sound of a train whistle coming. They turned and saw the train coming into the station. Each of the passenger cars had a black butterfly on the side, the emblem of the Jigokucho Rail Services, which was owned by the Senkaimon Rail and Transport Co. As the cars slowed to come to a halt, Ichigo, who loved trains as a kid, read the name emblazoned on the engine: "THE FLYING PUSSYFOOT".

"Who ever came up with a name like that must have had problems," he said.

As the train came to a stop, the conductors on the platform went to each car and put down their stools for the passengers to use when disembarking. Ichigo noticed that his dad and Yuzu, one of his younger twin sisters, were racing along the platform while his other younger sister, Karin, only leaned against the wall, hands in pockets and shaking her head. Ichigo wanted to hit his dad, but no amount of hitting would ever put a drop of sense in him. So, he just stood by while his dad and Yuzu were making fools of themselves.

He turned and saw the one who they were waiting for standing on the platform talking with two other passengers. One was a woman with blonde hair while the other was a man with light brown hair. All three sported the same energetic looks. However, Ichigo stood at the orange-haired woman who was talking with them.

"Well that was the most fun I had on any trip," she said. "It was nice to meet ya…uh…I'm sorry I forgot your names."

"Isaac and Miria," the two said together, in perfect sync.

"I have to agree with that. There's an old saying from the Orient that goes 'When two people break bread, they are friends for life'," Isaac said.

"Not to mention when they share bean paste," Miria added.

"You're absolutely right, Miria, my dear."

"Orihime," Ichigo called out as he and the others made their way towards her.

"Ichigo," Orihime said. "ICHIGO!" she cried out and ran towards him.

Ichigo and Orihime hugged each other. Rukia looked slightly down-cast and Renji only put a hand on her shoulder. Chad and Uryu remained silent. Isaac and Miria looked at the group that was called the "Karakura Six" after the Espada attack and then at each other and grinned.

"Hey, Isaac."

"What is it, Miria, my dear?"

"I think those two are lovers."

"I think you're absolutely correct. Now then, we arrived at our destination. What's the next step in doing a train robbery?"

_Las Armas, Border of the Hueco Mundo Wastes and the Gensei Provinces_

Dordoni sat on his horse between with Cirucci and Gantenbainne while Presagio de la Muerte, who said that his name was actually Alejo, looked at them. His skull mask hung from the saddle horn. His face was as hard as stone and his blue eyes were cold as ice. The four watched as Aizen and Rudobon made their way into the small border town.

"So, this is where the Plateado Brothers are?" Dordoni asked.

"This is where all of the mercenary gangs in the Wastes and the Borderlands are centered, tonto," Alejo said. "And the Plateado Brothers are the heart and soul of the mercenary gangs."

"Ha, you're such a dumbass, Dordoni," Cirucci said. "Of course they'll be here."

"If Aizen succeeds in recruiting them," Gantenbainne said, "then he'll be able to summon the other gangs to his cause. And the Plateado Brothers will send out the call."

"Correct, tonto," Alejo said. "If the Plateado Brothers send out a call, then none of the gangs can refuse it. That's the power they wield."

"Then why send Rudobon with him?" Dordoni asked.

"Because, if they see that he has the Exequias Army behind him, then the Plateado Brothers will seriously consider his request."

_Central 46 Rotunda, Karakura Town_

Davis Murphy sat with his fellow bankers in the audience balcony that overlook the Central Court. Below, the 46 Chief Justices, each representing one province in the Gensei Provinces, were looking over Tosen's proposal and presenting arguments for and against it. He could see Chief Justice Kaname Tosen sitting next to one of the newly-appointed Chief Justices.

"How long will this take?" one of his fellow bankers asked.

"They're about done with the arguments," another said. "The last one was Chief Justice Iustitia. They're going to take the vote."

"Chief Justices," the Minister of the Rotunda said. "You have heard the arguments for and against the proposal before you. When I say 'Nay' or 'Yea', those who are voting in that direction, please raise your hands. Remember, the vote must be by a majority. If there is a tie, then the proposal will be tossed."

"So, what have I missed?" someone asked.

Davis Murphy looked over to his left and saw Kisuke Urahara sitting next to him. He was dressed in a green suit, but he wore his green and white hat. His hands were folded over his walking stick.

"Just the debate," Davis whispered. "They're about to take the vote."

"I'm sorry we couldn't get the information in time."

"I know. However, you and Yoruichi should keep investigating. I uncovered something rather disturbing in the bill that I think you two should hear."

"Alright, we can discuss it tonight."

"Should I come to the shop or…?"

"The shop will be fine."

"Alright, I'll be there. Ah, they're getting ready to vote."

"I will now take the votes," the Minister said. "If you vote 'Nay', raise your hands."

Chief Justice Iustitia, who was an older man with a sever face raised his hand and said, "For our fallen brothers, Verum and Justin." There was a murmur at the mention of the two slain Chief Justices. Four more hands rose into the air and after a brief moment, five more.

"I have ten 'Nays'. Now, I will take the vote for 'Yea'."

Kaname raised his hand and said, "For Justice". As if it was a signal, all of the other hands except for two rose.

"That is 34 'Yeas' and two 'Abstains'. The proposal passes," the Minister said and struck the gavel on the wooden bench.

Many of the bankers in the balcony cheered and applauded before making their way out. However, Davis only shook his head and remained seated. Kisuke looked at the man and then down at the floor below. Neither saw the man who lurked in the shadows smile at them. Gin Ichimaru made his way down from the balcony and out the Rotunda smiling. He now knew who the third party was. He would inform Tsukishima who would then contact Hanza Nukui.

"The shadows are rising," Gin whispered. "The storm is coming. It's time to put the next stage of our plan in motion."

_Las Armas_

The bar was empty and quiet. The shadows hid the four men from prying eyes. Aizen and Rudobon were on their guard while the other two seemed more relaxed. One had jet black hair while the other had his hair dyed turquoise. However, both looked young and rather handsome. They both wore jeans tucked into dark brown boots. The black-haired man wore a crimson shirt and a black jacket. The man with turquoise hair wore a white shirt, a bolo tie with a piece of quarts embedded in the ornamental gold slide, and a light grey vest.

"Aizen," the turquoise-haired man said. "Your proposal sounds very risky. Why should my brother and I help you in this matter?"

"Arturo, I understand your concerns," Aizen said. "However, the saying goes, 'The bigger the risks, the bigger the reward'. Am I not right, gentlemen?"

"That is how the saying goes. However, what good are the rewards if you're dead?" Arturo Plateado asked.

"Brother, think about it. Rudobon is already on our side," Mordred said. "This is the opportunity that we've been waiting for. You said that you always wanted to see Fort Seireitei burn. This is our chance."

"Mordred, I know what I said. However, that does not mean that I allow my lusts to cloud my judgments like you. If a man always obeys his lusts, then he winds up dead with nothing to leave behind except for perhaps a few bastards along the way. But they hardly ever leave anything behind worth remembering."

"Arturo," Rudobon said. "I agree with your concerns. However, if you always follow caution, then you do nothing worth remembering."

"Rudobon, while my brother and I admire your exploits against the Gotei, I cannot agree with you on this matter. It is too risky and your plan calls for me to summon all of the mercenary gangs within the Borderlands and the Wastes. The only time that is possible is…"

"Is tonight, during the Festival de la Luna," Aizen said. "The Festival formed to remember when…"

"I know what the Festival reminds us of," Arturo growled, and then sighed. "I will announce my decision tonight at the moon's zenith. Until then, consider me against this proposal."

"I understand. Just remember, that the part I have for the mercenaries will help bring down the Gotei for good," Aizen said.

"I will keep that in mind," Arturo said and left.

"Just to remind you, my brother may say he's against it. However, I'm all for it. I know it may not make much difference, but I'll have my half of the gangs go with ya," Mordred said as he left.

"You'll only have to wait one more day for an answer from them," Rudobon said and he got up.

"I know, and that pushes my schedule back," he said.

"It's only a minor setback," Rudobon said and departed.

Aizen struck the table with his fist.

_Kurosaki Clinic_

"Are you sure it's alright for me to stay here?" Orihime asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Plus, dad would insist that you stay here instead of in a hotel," Ichigo said.

"Well…I was planning on staying where I used to live."

"Well…uh…you can…tomorrow."

"Ichigo, are the others planning a surprise for me?"

"Well, you see…uh…yeah, they are."

Orihime giggled at that. She always loved surprises, especially when they were from her friends. She looked at Ichigo. It was funny how even though he was sheriff, he always got flustered whenever he felt uncomfortable. There was a time when she hoped that his discomfort was because he liked her as much as she loved him. However, when Rukia came…he changed. She began to wonder if he and Rukia was a couple yet, but didn't want to ask him. She still held out hope, even though her own feelings towards him were changing.

"Orihime, listen, there's something you need to know."

"I know, Captain Unohana told me before I left."

"That's right. I forgot that you were training with her for these past few months. So, I guess you already know that…"

"Ichigo, you must promise me not to hurt any of them."

"What?"

"Promise me that you won't hurt any of the Arrancars who are heading our way."

"But what if they mean us harm? I have to think about the well-being of Karakura Town and the Gensei Provinces. Arrancars threaten that, and I have to do whatever it takes to make sure they don't succeed."

"Have you ever thought that maybe not all Arrancars are cruel and sadistic like we were taught?"

"Orihime, what's gotten into you? Have you forgotten? They…they kidnapped you, and we rescued you. We fought to save you. You told me that you wouldn't mind seeing them all die. So, tell me, why this sudden change towards them?"

"You…you'd never understand. Look, those seven Arrancars are not going to cause you problems. If you want to chase after someone, chase after 'Shadow Lurker'."

"I wish I could. Unfortunately, I don't even know who 'Shadow Lurker' really is. Hell, you were in Las Noches and you only saw him once, and even then he stayed in the shadows."

"That's right," Orihime said. "But…I…I thought I heard his voice when I was training with Captain Unohana at Fort Seireitei. Of course, it could have been my imagination. But what if it wasn't? What if 'Shadow Lurker' is in the Gotei?"

"Orihime, that's impossible. The Gotei is not filled with idiots and Yamamoto is no idiot."

"But, you said that you don't know who 'Shadow Lurker' is. What if the same is true with the Gotei? They could easily allow 'Shadow Lurker' into their midst and not even realize it."

"That's enough!" Ichigo yelled. "I've had enough of this, Orihime. My main concern right now is getting those Arrancars, especially Ulquiorra. He kidnapped you and he almost killed me. If it wasn't for Aizen, I would be dead."

Orihime looked at Ichigo and lowered her head. She remembered how Ulquiorra rode to the abandoned cabin where she and Captain Unohana found the others. She remembered how weak and helpless he looked and how he said that he was sorry. She only heard him say "sorry" in his monotonous voice, which was weaker than it had been.

Before, she would have agreed with Ichigo. However, thinking back to that day when she helped to heal Ulquiorra and seeing Starrk with Harribel and Grimmjow embracing Lilynette as she cried, she just couldn't see them as monsters anymore. They were like the people who lived in the Gensei Provinces.

When she heard that Ulquiorra, Starrk, and Harribel were in the Gensei Provinces, she knew that she had to return. She had to make it clear to Ichigo that they were different. They were not the monsters that he came to believe them to be. They were not like Nnoitora, with his lecherous grin and groping hands, or like Baraggan, with his arrogant boasts, or like Yammy, with his uncontrollable rage. However, it became clear to her that Ichigo would continue to view all Arrancars as monsters.

"I'm sorry," Ichigo said. "I…I shouldn't have yelled at you. It's just that seeing you again brought it all back. I thought I was over it, but I guess I wasn't."

"Ichigo, you need to just learn to forgive them. Not all of the Arrancars are evil. They're just trying to survive, like us. But they don't have the resources that we do, and so they do whatever it takes to survive."

"I know. I…I forgot what I've been telling Rukia and Renji. I've been telling them that it's odd that Ulquiorra, Starrk, and Harribel would be here and want us to know it."

Orihime smiled. She realized that perhaps Ichigo was beginning to understand what she was trying to say. The Arrancars on whom so much attention was being focused on were not the real threat. She had an idea that they were coming to help the Gensei Provinces. She hoped that Ichigo could see that.

"I'll tell you what, Orihime. I won't hurt any of those seven. However, I will arrest them, just to be on the safe side. Maybe then we can get some answers. Is that alright?"

"Yeah," Orihime said, smiling.

"Anyways, it's nice to have you back, Orihime."

"It's nice to be back."

_Las Noches_

Sui-Feng thought that she heard something. Her eyes opened and she sat up, thinking that Ggio was coming back, but there was no one in the hall outside. She looked around her and saw something unexpected. Omaeda was on the ground, digging at the areas around the bars between their cells with his spoon.

"Omaeda, what are you doing?"

"Oh…uh…trying to escape?"

"I can see that, but why are you digging there?"

"Well…uh…you see…there was some kinda tunnel in my cell already, but I'm too big to crawl through. I thought that it might be a way out."

"Wait, there's a tunnel…in your cell? How the fuck did they miss that?"

"Well…it was covered with the bedding."

"How did you find it?"

"Well, I was trying to sleep when I felt part of the bed sagging a bit. I got up and felt on the mattress. When I felt it sink a little, I moved the bedding in case there was some kind of hole or whatever. That's when I saw the tunnel. It looked big enough for a small person to get through, but I'm too big."

Sui-Feng wondered about that. She never thought of looking for a pre-made tunnel to get away before. She looked around and noticed the pile of rocks against the wall. She went over to it and moved one of the stones. Part of the wall tumbled down and she saw herself looking into the entryway to a tunnel, but this one was big enough for Omaeda to get through.

Even though Omaeda was an idiot and a pig, he had stumbled across something that could help them escape. His first thought was to get her over to his cell so that she could escape. He did not think of what might happen to him when it was discovered that she was gone. There was no way she was going to leave Omaeda behind.

"Omaeda..."

"Yes?"

"Keep digging until you've cleared enough room for you to crawl through."

"Huh, but why?"

"I found another tunnel. This one is big enough for both of us."

Omaeda's eyes widened and he began to dig faster. Sui-Feng looked at the tunnel and began to wonder: _Who made these tunnels anyways?_

_Hueco Mundo Wastes_

Pesche sat at the entrance to the cave where he, Dondochakka, and Nel had been hiding for ten months. His long, stringy blonde hair hung down below his shoulders and his grey eyes sparkled like pieces of flint. He looked over at Dondochakka, a rather large, brown-haired man with brown eyes, who was sitting by the fire preparing dinner.

"Nel's been gone for a while," Pesche said. "Do you think something might have happened?"

"Nah, Nel can take care of herself, don'tcha know," Dondochakka replied.

"But, what if something like…ya know…happens again?"

"Hey, if we broke outa prison just ta be there ta help her then we can be there again. Know what I'm talkin' about?"

"N-not really," Pesche said. "But, we knew that something was wrong then. We don't know about now."

"Well, it was her idea to go out on her own…without us. That means that she'll be fine, don'tcha know."

"Whatever, I just don't like the idea of her going out on her own. What if she encounters Nnoitora?"

"Then I would kick his ass," Nel said as she reached the cave's entrance.

"Hey, welcome back, Nel," Dondochakka said.

"Well…how's it lookin'?" Pesche asked.

"Well, most of the Espada have returned to Las Noches along with their fraccions, but…"

"What is it Nel?" Pesche asked.

"Grimmjow told me that a lot's been happening since we've been away. It seems that Aizen was only using us."

"It's just as you suspected," Dondochakka said.

"Yeah, and Aizen had the Espada attack Karakura Town on their own and then betrayed them."

"What? But…wait a minute…" Pesche said. "You said that most of the Espada have returned to Las Noches. Who's missing?"

"Ulquiorra, Harribel, and Starrk as well as their respective fraccions are not at Las Noches."

"Starrk and Harribel aren't there? What happened? They're…they're not dead, are they?"

"No Pesche, they're not dead. They're on their way to Karakura Town to warn them that Aizen is moving again."

"Nel, what should we do?" Dondochakka asked.

"Easy, we're going to help them in whatever way we can. However, for the moment we can only help out here. Grimmjow told me that they're getting set to move out. When they move out, we'll move out as well."

"But it's just three of us," Pesche said. "Not including Grimmjow and his buddies. We'll be outnumbered."

"But at least we can do something. Grimmjow, Starrk, Lilynette, and Harribel are like family to me, and I intend to make sure that they survive. Regardless of whether we can really make a difference or not, we're still going to try. We're still gonna stand by our friends. That's what being in the Gamuza Clan means."

_Las Noches_

Omaeda was struggling through the gap that he made. Sui-Feng kept an eye on the hall, to make sure that no one was coming their way. She tried to pull Omaeda, but his fat ass kept getting stuck.

"Omaeda, raise your ass."

"Huh?"

"You heard me, stick your ass in the air. Then plant your feet as close to the gap as you can. On the count of three, I'll pull and you push with your feet. Got it?"

"Uh…I think so," Omaeda said.

He moved his feet forward as far as he could. He raised his lower torso to make more room to move his legs and feet forward. When he moved as much as he could, he planted the toes of his feet in the dirt.

"Alright, you actually understood my directions. Now then, on the count of three I'm gonna pull and you're gonna push with your feet. Ready? One…two…THREE!"

When Sui-Feng counted three she pulled, using Omaeda's arms as grips while Omaeda pushed with his feet. It wasn't easy work, but the force created by Sui-Feng and Omaeda was just enough. As Omaeda's fat ass got to the bars, he wiggled slightly and that extra wiggle was enough for a small portion of his ass to get under the bar. The rest was like pulling a cork from a bottle of wine. When Omaeda's ass popped free, Sui-Feng fell back while Omaeda's face was planted in the dirt.

"Alright, that's the hard part," Sui-Feng said, getting up and brushing dirt from her clothes.

"Ouch, my butt hurts," Omaeda moaned.

"Stop complaining. We're getting the hell out of here. We need to report back as soon as we can."

Omaeda got to his feet and swayed slightly, rubbing the back of his pants, trying to get feeling back into his massive ass. Sui-Feng rolled her eyes and removed the blanket that she put over the tunnel's entrance. She looked at Omaeda who was gaping at it wide-eyed. They both smiled and raced into the old mining tunnel that Dondochakka uncovered eight months before.

_Urahara Shop, Karakura Town_

Davis made sure that no one was following him as he made towards the Urahara Shop. When he arrived he saw that the two child-employees on the front area, taking their break.

"Excuse me, Jinta, Ururu, is Kisuke in?"

"Oh, hey, Mr. Murphy," the red-haired boy, Jinta, said. "Yeah, he's in. Ururu, show Mr. Murphy the way."

"But Jinta, it's your turn to show our guests in."

"Now listen, Ururu, I'm getting tired of your complaining. The boss put me in charge. Don't you remember?"

"Oh…yeah…I guess I did," the black-haired girl said. "Mr. Murphy, if you would follow me please. Mr. Urahara has been expecting you."

"Thank you, Ururu," Davis said, chuckling.

While most guests would find their behavior rather rude, Davis knew that they always argued about everything. That included who would show a guest to Mr. Urahara. At first he was a bit confused by it, but Mr. Urahara explained that those two just liked to argue with each other. In a way, he couldn't help but think of Captain Ukitake's seated officers, Kiyone and Sentaro, when he first met them.

When they arrived to the secret panel that led to Kisuke's office, he was not surprised to see the tall, heavy-muscled man standing before it.

"Ah, Mr. Murphy, Kisuke informed me to expect you tonight. Please, go in. He's waiting for you."

"Thanks Tessai."

When Tessai opened the secret door, Davis stepped in and saw Kisuke with Yoruichi at the small table they used for meetings. Davis sighed and walked towards them. He knew that they needed to know about what he found out.

"Mr. Davis, good evening," Kisuke said.

"Good evening, Kisuke, but please call me Davis."

"Sure thing, Davis," Kisuke said with a slight chuckle. "So, what did you want to talk with us about?"

"Well, it has to do with the proposal that just passed. I found a rather small item that was just tucked away in the midst of the wording. It was so cleverly hidden that at first it doesn't register. However, on closer reading, it sticks out like a sore thumb."

"Well, what is it?" Yoruichi asked.

"You know that banks use the Senkaimon rail lines to transport gold and cash to their various branches. Well, under the new law, cash can still be transported by this means, but not gold."

"Okay, but what does this have to do with anything?"

"That's the thing. I think that whoever is involved wanted this proposal to pass because of this one detail. Now, look at the line that the new law says that banks can only use to transport gold."

"It says that it's the Garganta line, but that's…" then Yoruichi understood.

"It's not a part of the Senkaimon lines. It's the only privately-owned line in all of the Gensei Provinces. Guess who owns it."

"Gin Ichimaru and the Hogyoku United Bank," Kisuke muttered. "So, that's the evidence we needed. It was staring at us this whole time and we missed it."

_Junrinan, the Gensei Provinces_

The town of Junrinan was called the "First and Last Town" in the Borderlands. The reason was because of it was near the Garganta Pass, the gateway between the Borderlands and the Gensei Provinces Proper. As a result, it was the largest town in the Borderlands and a major center of trade. Many of the rails that traveled through the Kabe Mountains or through the Borderlands converged at Junrinan.

Each day, hundreds of travelers would pass through this bustling town. As a result, the Gotei established a strong presence in the town to make sure that no one caused any trouble. Since the Espada's invasion of Karakura Town four months before the number of Gotei soldiers stationed at Junrinan tripled. These soldiers became known as "The Gatekeepers".

Jidanbo Ikkanzaka walked through the streets. The crowds seemed to part for him and many waved at him. He smiled and waved back. Whenever a child approached him, he would always reach into the pouch he carried with him and pull out a piece of candy for them. Whenever he saw someone having problems with their cart, he would always go out of his way to help them. As a result, Jidanbo was one of the most popular and most trusted Gotei stationed at Junrinan.

"Hey, Jidanbo," someone called out.

"Oh, hey, Kukaku, it's been a while. Hey, where's Ganju?"

"My idiot brother is keeping a look out for the Arrancar who are supposed to be heading our way," the woman said.

Jidanbo knew that the Shiba Family were often employed for either doing the fireworks display during the major festivals such as the upcoming Día de los Muertos. However, they were also employed to patrol the surrounding Sabaku Desert.

"Did those two…you know…Visoreds hire you?"

"They did and they gave us instructions not to try to apprehend them. They mentioned that the Xcution Squad will be handling that little bit of work."

"I see. Maybe I can help. Do you know who you're looking for?"

"Hey, that'd be great, Jidanbo," Kukaku said, laughing. "I have copies of their photos here," she said and reached into her pocket.

She brought out a few folded sheets of paper and handed them to Jidanbo. Jidanbo opened them and felt something hit his stomach. He recognized three of the seven photos. Kukaku saw Jidanbo's expression and looked confused.

"I…I've seen these three before," he said and held out the sheets with the faces of Starrk, Lilynette, and Harribel. "They're…they're good people. They…they wouldn't hurt anyone."

"Doesn't matter, they're still wanted by the law. However, the Gotei doesn't need to know about this. Ichigo will be fair with them, besides he told them not to harm them in any way if they come quietly."

"They will," Jidanbo said. "They wouldn't let us know where they were if they weren't going to come quietly."

"I think you're right," Kukaku said.

"HEY, SIS," someone cried out.

Kukaku looked and saw her younger brother, Ganju coming towards them. Kukaku shook her head when she saw that he was riding his favorite "steed", the boar Bonnie. She really wished that her brother would ride a real horse and not just some over-sized boar with the words "FOUR-WHEELED DRIVE" painted on its side. It was really embarrassing.

"Ganju, how many times have I told you to get rid of that thing and get a real horse?"

"But sis, you know I hate horses."

"I don't really give a shit, dumbass. You're embarrassing the Shiba name. If Kaien…" she stopped, realizing that she had mentioned their dead brother's name.

"Kukaku, I'm sorry," Ganju said.

"No…don't apologize. I should apologize to you," Kukaku said. "I forgot that Kaien actually liked watching you ride that thing. Anyways, what is it?"

"Oh, I saw six of the Arrancars coming our way. The only one missing was 'Night Bringer'. They'll be here tomorrow morning."

"Alright, let the Visoreds know."

"Right sis," Ganju said and rode off down towards the hotel where the two Visoreds were staying.

"Jidanbo, you better get back to making your rounds. Don't worry. We're not to going to fight them."

"Thanks Kukaku," Jidanbo said.

"Yeah, whatever Big Guy, just get going. We don't want to cause a panic now do we?"

Jidanbo shook his head and smiled. He walked away, thinking about why those three were in the Gensei Provinces again. The only reason that he could think of was that something must be going on. When he first heard about the Espada invasion, he immediately rode to the Garganta Pass, but by the time he got there, the Espada were gone.

He remembered how his brother, Jirobo, disgraced the uniform they wore together by taking a child hostage just to get Starrk and Harribel to surrender. Yet, Starrk had seen his brother's fear and did what needed to be done to ensure that no one was accidentally killed and that included Jirobo. However, the physical pain was nothing compared to the shame his brother felt. When he was forced to surrender his uniform, Jirobo went into a self-imposed exile and suffered a complete nervous breakdown that sent him to a mental hospital in the East. Jidanbo would try to take time off whenever he could and visit his brother who showed very little improvement.

Despite his brother's state, Jidanbo did not blame Starrk or Harribel. He used to blame himself for not doing anything to stop his brother. However, the more he thought of it, he came to realize that it would have happened eventually. Even though Jirobo always tried to pretend to be tough, he was always the first to panic when something got out of hand. Now, he understood that no one was really to blame for his brother's condition except for his brother. He allowed his fear to cloud his judgment and he was paying the price.

"Hey Jidanbo," a child called out.

Jidanbo emerged from his thoughts and looked at the child and smiled. As the child ran towards him, Jidanbo brought out the box of Chappy's Fruity Chews in his pouch and dug out a couple of pieces. He smiled seeing the child's joy at the candy and the hug he received. Seeing people happy was the reason he enjoyed his job and did his best at it.

_Las Noches_

Sui-Feng and Omaeda emerged from the tunnel and saw the groups of horses tied up. They looked around, but did not see anyone. She gestured for him to come on, but she was cautious. Something was not right. She saw their two horses tied up next to the horses that belonged to the Crimson Dragons, but there was no one standing guard.

"Omaeda, be careful," Sui-Feng whispered. "Something's not right."

"Got it," Omaeda whispered.

They reached their horses and were about to untie them when they heard someone coming. Sui-Feng reached for her guns, only to realize that she and Omaeda no longer had their guns. She turned and saw Ggio grinning at her.

"Well now, this is a surprise," he said, grinning. "How did you get out?"

"Shit, you knew about the tunnels, didn't you?"

"Yeah, we knew," a gruff voice said and Baraggan emerged from the shadows.

"Omaeda, get on the horse and run while you can," Sui-Feng whispered.

"But, what about you, Captain?"

"Don't ask questions, just do it. Now…RUN OMAEDA!"

Omaeda ran to his horse, which was already untied. He mounted it and rushed away. Baraggan did not look concerned, but only smiled. He raised his right hand and snapped his fingers. There was a burst of gunfire from a cluster of rocks as Nirgge took his shot at the fleeing Omaeda. Sui-Feng turned and her eyes widened in horror as she saw Omaeda slump and fall off his horse.

"O-O-OMAEDA!" she cried out.

"Now, now, none of that," Ggio said and grabbed her.

He saw tears streaming from her eyes and felt sorry for her. He wanted to comfort her in some way. However, he knew better than to do anything that would go against Baraggan's wishes. Sui-Feng's sorrow for her Lieutenant was replaced with rage. She turned to face Baraggan and glared at him.

"YOU BASTARD!" she shrieked. "Why? Why? Why did you kill him?"

"Because," Baraggan said, smiling. "I want to see you suffer."

_The Hueco Mundo Wastes_

Patros Plateado and his brother Paulo rode together towards Las Armas to visit their nephews for the Festive de la Luna. Their gangs trailed behind them, keeping an eye for any sign of a Gotei Patrols as they got closer to the border town. Patros's Lieutenants, Aldegor and Menis, rode just behind him while Paulo's Lieutenants, Demoura and Fisher, rode ahead of them.

"It's quiet," Paulo said.

"I know," Patrols replied. "But we have to keep a look out. There have been rumors of Gotei patrols from Fort Zaraki coming out this way."

"You shouldn't worry too much, brother. We're still in the Wastes and no Gotei patrol out this way for months, regardless of rumors."

"Still, I don't like it. Why do our nephews have to set up base on the border between the Wastes and the Provinces?"

"Because, that way they can show that they have control over the mercenary gangs in the Wastes and the Provinces' Borderlands. It's a…symbolic gesture."

"I don't care about symbolism. I only care about practicality. They should have set up base further south, away from two Gotei forts."

"Well, at least…" Paulo began, but was interrupted by the sound of gunfire.

Demoura let out a roar of pain before falling from his horse. Fisher brought out his rifle and started shooting in the direction that the shot came from. Paulo looked at his fallen Lieutenant in horror as he saw blood blossom from the dead man's chest.

"GOTEI!" Fisher screamed before another gunshot blew his head off.

Paulo and Patros dismounted and took refuge behind their horses. Other members of their gangs were doing the same. Patros was scanning the landscape ahead and saw them. Ten figures dressed in dark blue stood on top of a rock outcropping and were firing at the group.

"Shit, the rumors were true," Patros growled as he reloaded his revolver.

"Sir, we should try to…" Menis began when another gunshot rang out.

They turned as they saw a man falling to the ground, shot in the back. Menis and Aldegor turned to shoot in that direction. Patros turned and saw that they were being surrounded. However, there was a gap between the Gotei soldiers, and if they could ride fast and hard enough and give enough covering fire, they might be able to escape.

"Paulo, we have to get the fuck out of here."

"I know, brother," Paulo said.

The two brothers looked and saw that sixteen more of their men were dead. Some of the others were trying to make a run for it, but were shot down. However, those who rode for the gap were not being shot at, at least not yet. Patros and Paulo smiled at each other. They still had a chance.

"Menis, Aldegor, get on your horses and round up as many men as we can. We're gonna make a run for it," Patros said.

"Yes sir," they said and got on their horses.

"Come on, brother, let's get…" Paulo began, but another gunshot roared and Patros watched as his brother's back arched.

"PAULO!" Patros screamed.

"J-just g-g-go," his brother gasped.

Patros screamed and he mounted his horse and fired at the Gotei who were surrounding them. He gestured at Menis and Aldegor, who had managed to get 50 of their riders gathered together. The group rode hard and fast. They continued to fire at the Gotei, who shot back from the boulders and hedges they were using for cover. Patros felt a bullet enter his shoulder, but ignored it. By the time they rode through the gap, there were only 37 left to ride to Las Armas.

As soon as the group was gone, the leaders of the Gotei patrols stood up and strode to where Paulo was trying to crawl away.

"Well now, look at this," Nnoitora said, grinning. "A little fish is trying to get back to the water."

"That's enough," Aaroniero rasped from behind his mask. "Aizen only ordered for one brother to escape, but not both."

"Indeed," Zommari said.

"Master Nnoitora, should I contact Aizen on the field phone?" a young, blonde man wearing an eye patch asked.

"What kind of stupid question is that, Tesla? Of course you tell him we were successful."

"You…you're not…" Paulo began.

"No," Zommari said. "We are not Gotei."

"Yeah…we stole these fuckin' uniforms from the corpses of a bunch of weak-ass babies who were patrollin' the Precipice Mountains," Nnoitora said. "Of course, ya won't be tellin' anyone."

Nnoitora took out his holstered pistol with a grinning skull engraved on the grip. It was his second favorite gun, behind his rifle, Santa Teresa, which was strapped to the side of his horse. He cocked the hammer and placed the gun against Paulo's head and pulled the trigger. Paulo's body jerked as the bullet traveled through his head and became still.

"Well…that takes care of that," Nnoitora said as he took off the Gotei jacket.

"Loly, Menoly," Zommari said, gesturing to two young women dressed in Gotei uniforms.

"What is it?" Loly, who had long black hair tied into pigtails, asked.

"Loly, don't be rude to Master Zommari," Menoly, who had short blonde hair, said. "What do you wish for us to do, Master Zommari?"

"Get Wonderweiss to bring the wagon," Zommari said.

"Right away, sir," Menoly said.

Zommari then gestured for the head of his fraccion to approach. As he watched him approach, Zommari found himself wondering what he might look like without those scars. He already knew who gave him those scars, but not the circumstances behind them. The head of his fraccion stopped and bowed.

"What does my master wish from me?"

"I need you to make sure that it looks like they were in a shootout with a Gotei patrol. Then we came and slaughtered the Gotei. Can you do that, Dorian?"

"Of course, sir," Dorian Semental, the former "Stallion of Hueco Mundo" said.

"It was truly divine providence that caused that patrol to cross our path," Zommari said. "That means that God is on Lord Aizen's side in his endeavors and no one can stand against the will of God."

_Las Armas_

The mercenary gangs arrived in trickles and then a massive flood. Arturo looked over the crowd gathered in the square, surrounding the giant wicker man with stuffed men dressed in stolen Gotei uniforms surrounding it. He looked up and saw that the moon was nearing its zenith, the time of the burning was approaching and he had to announce his decision before then. He raised the ceremonial pistol and fired a single shot into the air. The crowd below looked up at him and he was not surprised to see Aizen and his group watching him.

"My fellow Arrancars and Borderlanders," he said. "This year marks the 150th year of our time of Exile. It was 150 years ago today that the Gensei forced our fore-fathers into the Borderlands and the Hueco Mundo Wastes. Since then, they have refused to recognize those who live in the Borderlands as actual citizens of the Provinces and have called those who were forced into the Hueco Mundo Wastes after the Great Uprising 'Arrancars'.

"However, that name, 'Arrancar', has become a label of pride for those who survive in the Wastes. Those of you who are Borderlanders, we call you 'Arrancars' because, like us, you were driven from your homes and your lands. There is no shame in being called 'Arrancars', but rather a deep source of pride. We have suffered and we are still alive."

The crowd below cheered. Gunshots were fired into the air. Many raised their torches as though saluting him.

"Yes, you all have something to be proud of. This is what the Festival de la Luna reminds us. Even though we lost what we once enjoyed in the Provinces, we survived and we endured. Now then, I want to draw your attention to our guest, Souske Aizen. He has come to my brother and me with a proposition. As you can see, the Great General Rudobon has sided with him. His proposition is to help them bring down the Gensei Provinces."

Cheers rose. Many shouted that they should leave right away. Arturo allowed their cheers to die down before he began again.

"I know that you wish this. However, you know me. I believe that it's best to tread carefully on the side of prudence and so I told him that I would announce my decision tonight. My brother, Mordred, has told me that we should. However, I still wished to think about it and I have reached my decision. My decision is…"

At that moment there was a great commotion. Arturo looked and his eyes widened when he saw his Uncle Patros riding in, barely managing to stay on his horse. Mordred rushed from the balcony to make his way to their uncle. Arturo followed shortly after, his long tan coat trailed out behind him.

"Uncle Patros, what's happened?" Mordred asked.

"Gotei," Patros said as Arturo approached. "Ambush…Paulo…dead…Paulo…"

"Menis, Aldegor, what happened?" Arturo asked the two Lieutenants.

"We were ambushed," Aldegor said. "The Gotei nearly had us surrounded. They killed your Uncle Paulo, and almost got Patros, but he'll live. He was only shot in the shoulder."

"Alright, take Uncle Patros into the house and into bed. Somebody, get the doctor to take a look at him," Arturo ordered.

"Yes sir," one of the mercenaries said, and rushed to get the doctor.

Arturo watched as Aldegor and Menis carried Patros into the house. He then turned his attention to the moon. It was now at its zenith. As his brother approached, Arturo closed his eyes. He knew that the time had come. He pushed his brother aside and grabbed one of the torches. He held it up for everyone to see.

"Hear me," he said. "Before, I would have said that I refused Aizen's offer. However, the Gotei has attacked us. They killed my Uncle Paulo and have wounded my Uncle Patros. You see this torch," he yelled and threw it onto the wicker man, which began to be consumed by the flames. At once torches touched the hollow men, which also began to be consumed by the flames. "Watch, my brothers and sisters. Do you see how these flames consume the wicker man and the hollow men around it?" he asked as he walked amongst the burning figures.

"Tonight, we watch the representatives of the Gotei and the Gensei Provinces burn. However, as we stand here watching these representatives burn, know this: WE WILL SEE FORT SEIREITEI BURN!"

As the cheers rose, Aizen smiled, knowing that the final pieces were in place.

"WE WILL RIDE WITH AIZEN!"

**End of Chapter 5**

**A.N.: I wanted to give the _Wheel of Time_ series and _The Gunslinger_ plug-ins since they're part of my overall inspiration for the story. Starrk's ability to talk with wolves and Ulquiorra's with bats was completely inspired by Perrin Aybara from the _Wheel of Time_. I also want to give a shout-out to the film "A Fistful of Dollars" where the scene of the ambush on Patros and Paulo was drawn. The Patros in this story is pretty much the same as the fill-in character in the Arrancar arc in the anime. As for Omaeda's death, originally I was going to have him survive, but decided not to.**

**Also, I want to welcome Isaac and Miria from "Baccano!" to the story, even though they'll only pop up again a couple of times (I just had to include them since they're one of my all-time favorite anime duos and I actually found a way to make them useful). Also, in case you're wondering what Isaac and Miria's steps for doing a train robbery are (Which they go over in Episode 2 of "Baccano!):**

**1. Get on a train**

**2. Reach your destination**

**3. Do a Robbery**

**4. Get back on the train**

**5. Make your getaway**


	6. Chapter 6: Los Asesinos

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 6: Los Asesinos**

_El Atormentado_

The train came to a stop at the station outside El Atormentado. In one of the passenger cars, three men rose from their seats. They kept their heads lowered as they made their way off the train. However, eyes noticed the red skull tattoo in the webbing between their thumb and forefinger. The tattoo marked them as members of the notorious Aka Zugaikotsu Gang, which was led by Jin Kariya. However, no one knew that the Aka Zugaikotsu Gang was an offshoot of the Kage no Tanken Squad.

When they got onto the platform, they made their way to the stable cars where their horses were being led out. The three mounted their horses and rode off, not saying a word to anyone.

"Where did he say the target was?" one, the larger man asked, taking his hat off to reveal his bald head and an eye patch covering his right eye.

"Well, he lives on a small ranch only a few miles in the foothills of the Desatoya Mountains," a rather thin man with blonde hair covering the right side of his thin face said.

"HA, I can't wait to fuck him up," the third, a rather hideous-looking hunchback said as he scratched his bald scalp. The stringy blonde hair that hung to his shoulders from the sides of his head blew back in the breeze. "He'll pay for what he did to us."

"That doesn't mean that we can't stay patient for a little while longer, Jinnai," the thin man said, as he fingered the blue stone he wore around his neck as a good luck charm.

"I've had enough waiting, Mabashi," Jinnai shrieked. "What about you, Genga?"

"I don't give a shit," Genga growled. "Either way, we're gonna fuck him over royally. Not even his mother will recognize him."

"I don't think that freaks like him even have mothers," Jinnai said. "He'll pay for making us look like fools."

Mabashi only shook his head. He knew that this mission would only end in success, but you couldn't be too careful. Especially when handling freaks like Szayel Aporro Granz.

_Junrinan_

Coyote Starrk looked around him. He hoped to see someone notice them, preferably Gotei. Tia Harribel and Lilynette Gingerback rode on either side of him. Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun rode a little bit behind them. All of their eyes were searching for any sign of any blue uniforms, but they did not see any of them. However, Starrk knew that they were being watched. He just wanted to make sure that whoever was watching them was someone who would inform Sheriff Kurosaki.

"Where do you think Ulquiorra is now?" Harribel whispered.

"It's hard to say," Starrk answered.

"Do you think Szayel Aporro will change his mind?"

"It's hard to say."

"Hey Starrk," Lilynette whispered. "Someone's watching us from that saloon over there."

"I see," Starrk said, smiling. "Tia, are you thirsty?"

"Yeah, I kind of am," Harribel said, grinning.

"Well, we should stop and get something to drink," Starrk said.

"Ladies," Harribel called out to the Diamond Sisters. "We're gonna make a stop."

"Oh thank God," Apacci said. "My ass was getting sore."

"I bet that's not all that's sore," Mila Rose said.

"What are you implying?" Apacci asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Oh come on, I bet you want to keep riding a bit longer," Mila Rose said, smirking. "I bet it really helps cure that itch."

"Oh, so that's why you can ride for hours on end and have a nice healthy after-glow at the end," Apacci said, smirking.

"What was that?"

"Oh please, you set yourself up," Sung-Sun said.

"Stay out of this Sung-Sun. No one was talking to you," Apacci and Mila Rose said.

"Ladies, enough," Harribel said. "Just be prepared in case we have trouble. Sung-Sun, make sure that you have a couple of sticks of dynamite ready."

"Yes, ma'am," Sung-Sun said, reaching into her bag.

Starrk knew that ordinary mining dynamite could be very temperamental. However, thanks to Lilynette's expertise at explosives, Sung-Sun had learned how to make dynamite more stable and what kind of casing to use. As a result, the sticks of dynamite that she used could not accidentally be detonated, unless they were attached to a charge box.

"What kind of fuse should I use: burn fuse or cap-and-wire?"

"Cap-and-wire," Harribel said.

"Very good, ma'am," Sung-Sun replied.

"Make sure you do it where no one can see. And make sure to set it up where no one's likely to get hurt."

"Yes ma'am."

"Mila Rose, Apacci, I want you two to go a little ways down the street. Tie your horses at that hitching rail," Harribel said and pointed at a hitching rail in front of the general store next to the saloon. "Then, make your way back here and wait until I say the word, 'holiday'. When I say, 'holiday', you come in shooting, but not to kill. You are to fire only five rounds each and then run back to your horses."

"What should I do?" Lilynette asked.

"Lilynette, I want you to do what you do best," Starrk said. "Set up a diversion near the last few buildings and watch out for any Gotei. If you see any Gotei, start whistling 'Clavar la Espada'."

Lilynette grinned. She gave off a tiny salute and had Strawberry ride a little ways down. Starrk hoped that Lilynette would not get stuck in her stirrup again. He looked at Harribel and jerked his head slightly to the saloon. Harribel smiled and the two rod to the hitching rail outside the saloon where a large number of other horses were busy drinking at the trough. They did not bother tying their horses, which were trained to wait at any hitching rail or post until they came back.

"Are you ready to make some noise?" Harribel asked.

"I guess," Starrk said, shrugging.

They walked through the batwing doors.

_Las Noches_

Sui-Feng looked down at Omaeda's corpse. The vultures were beginning to feast on his flesh. Tears fell from her eyes. Even though she hated him at times, she also felt glad of Omaeda's loyalty. She had promised that she would get him back to Fort Seireitei alive, and she had failed. She looked to where Ggio sat.

"Ya know, you're lucky," he said.

"How am I lucky?"

"Well…originally Baraggan wanted ya sitting close enough to him that you could smell his roasting flesh. But then, he thought that the vultures might think you were dead and eat you too."

"Wouldn't he want that?"

"You dumb bitch, he wants ya to be alive long enough for when it happens."

"Oh, when what happens?"

"When we burn the Gensei Provinces and crush the Gotei into the dust."

"That ain't gonna happen."

"No? What makes you think that?"

"You would have to destroy both Karakura Town and Fort Seireitei to do that."

"Oh, trust me, they're gonna fall alright. In fact, it's already happening. We got a report that Tosen's bill just passed."

"Wait, is Tosen involved?" Sui-Feng asked, shocked.

"Oops, I shouldn't have told ya that. Oh well, it really doesn't make any difference. You'll be dead anyways."

"Who else is involved? Who's behind this whole thing?"

"You'll find out soon enough. I guarantee you'll be surprised to find out who 'Shadow Lurker' actually is."

"Enough games, tell me…you bastard…tell me."

"Sorry, but I'm under strict orders. I already let one name slip and that's one too many. You look sharp enough to figure out the rest."

She looked away from him and back at Omaeda. Ggio looked at her again, seeing her tears. He felt sorry for her. However, there was nothing he could do. He was a Crimson Dragon and the Crimson Dragons followed the King of the Wastes, Baraggan Luisenbarn, without hesitation. However, Baraggan said that he wanted to see her suffer, and Baraggan wasn't there. Ggio sighed and put a hand on her arm.

"I'm sorry for your friend," he said. "I…I tried to talk Baraggan out of it, but…but he really wants you to suffer. If you want to make him pay, then…then defy him. Fuck, why am I even telling ya this?"

"Maybe because…you understand what I'm feeling," Sui-Feng said and she looked at him.

"I guess," Ggio said. "Do you…do you need to talk about it?"

"Yeah, I would like that," Sui-Feng said and smiled.

In the basin below, Luppi looked at Grimmjow, wondering where he was going. Aisslinger sat nearby, his silver hair stuck up, appearing to defy gravity itself. The three blue diamond tattoos over his left eye marked him as head of the Corredor Squad, whose job was to get the drugs Brujería and Amor into the Borderlands. Luppi's own three diamond tattoos marked him as head of the Adicto Squad, whose job was to increase the number of Gotei addicted to the drugs.

"Hey, Aisslinger," Luppi said.

"What is it?"

"What do you think Grimmjow's up to?"

"Why should I care? He's an Espada and Aizen put them in charge. As far as I'm concerned, they can do whatever they want."

"Aren't you worried that he might be involved with the traitors?"

"No way," Aisslinger said. "He and Ulquiorra were always arguing and I never saw him with either Starrk or Harribel. The only one he was really close to was Nel, and she's long gone."

"Yeah, whatever you say," Luppi said, however his eyes continued to follow Grimmjow. He somehow knew that Grimmjow was up to something. And one way or another, he decided he would find out what it was.

_Szayel Aporro's Ranch_

Szayel Aporro Granz did not hear the approaching horses. He was too focused on what Ulquiorra told him and what they needed from him. He had said that he would not help them, and he was wondering if he made the right decision. He looked at the pocket watch that his mother gave him so many years ago.

"Poder proviene de la Inteligencia," (Power comes from Intelligence) he muttered as he traced the lettering. "I don't exactly feel powerful. Damn it, Ulquiorra. Why did you have to come to me? I was happy just living my life here, blissfully unaware that Aizen was moving again. And you had to ruin it for me."

He closed his eyes and his fingers touched the cold metal of the pistol that he kept strapped to the side of his chair. He began to wonder if he should use it on himself. That was when he heard the door open. He opened his eyes and saw the hunchback standing in front of him, aiming a pistol at him.

"Hello, bastard, remember me?"

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect to see you again, Jinnai. Not after you tried to take me in for that reward money. If you're here, then I guess that means that Genga and Mabashi are here too."

"That's none of your business."

"Yeah, they're here alright."

Szayel Aporro tried to keep his calm, but he was panicking. Then he realized that his hand was still on the gun strapped to the side of his chair.

"You know something. I've spent the past three months dreaming of the day when I would see you again. I've been dreaming of the time when I could finally kill ya. You want to know something. I ain't gonna kill you quick. I'm gonna shoot ya in the kneecaps and then your hands. Then, I'm gonna get busy carving," he said, pulling out the knife from its sheath. "What do you have to say to that, Pinky?"

"I say…" Szayel Aporro began and raised the pistol and shot Jinnai in the chest. "…if you're gonna shoot, shoot. Don't just stand there talking."

Szayel Aporro then walked over to Jinnai's corpse. He knew that he needed to think of some way to get out of this. He wondered if somehow Aizen found out that Ulquiorra had approached him. Was that why they came to kill him?

"Damn it, Ulquiorra. I didn't want to get involved."

_Junrinan_

Starrk and Harribel walked into the saloon.

They were not surprised to see that the bar was extremely crowded. Cigar and cigarette smoke filled the room. They could hear the roll of dice and the shuffle of cards mix with the sounds tinkling glass. Laughter and shouts and footsteps echoed throughout the room. The two looked around, but did not see anyone look at them.

Starrk looked around and then noticed the two at the bar. He put a hand on Harribel's arm and jerked his head in their direction. Harribel looked and nodded slightly. One was wearing a white leotard with an orange scarf wrapped around her neck while the other had short white hair and wore a regular pair of jeans and a grey shirt. They were not looking around, nor were they looking at their drinks. The two were looking into the mirror that was behind the counter.

"Visoreds," Starrk whispered.

"Yeah, but…I don't recognize them."

"I think they were probably fighting against one of the others. That's not surprising. I bet Ichigo sent them because neither of us really saw them. However, he obviously picked one wrong. Who can forget that white leotard?"

"Yeah…wait a minute…" Harribel said glaring at him.

"Don't worry, it's not that. It's just that…it's so odd seeing someone wear only a leotard with an orange scarf and orange boots that as soon as you see it, you never really forget it."

"Well, that's true. If it had something to do with her figure…" Harribel trailed off allowing Starrk to fill in the blanks.

"Don't worry. I'm not like Nnoitora."

"I know, but you're still a guy."

Starrk chuckled at that. It was true that he sometimes found his gaze on a pretty woman, but he never chased after them the way that Nnoitora would. The only exception for him was Harribel. Although, when he thought about it, Harribel had started chasing him a year after they met and it took Starrk another five months to begin his own pursuit for her. It didn't take him long to realize that Harribel was the only woman he would pursue and sometimes he found himself imagining their life together as man and wife.

"Well, you have a point there. Now then, perhaps we should make our introductions."

At the bar, Kensei watched as the two approached. He saw enough wanted posters with their photos to know that it was Starrk and Harribel. He slightly elbowed Mashiro who looked at him. She was about to say something when she saw his eyes dart to the mirror. She gave a slight nod when she saw who was coming their way.

"What can I get ya?" the barkeep asked Starrk and Harribel.

"I'll have a glass of Gin and Tonic with lemon," Starrk said. "One part Gin and three parts Tonic, please."

"I'll have a mint julep," Harribel said.

"Very good," the barkeep said and went to make their drinks.

"Although, between you and me," Harribel said, turning to Kensei. "My partner here prefers drinks like the Matador or sometimes a Frozen Grasshopper when he's in the mood for something sweet."

"While you tend to prefer Fish House Punch and the Modernista," Starrk said.

"I must say," Kensei said. "You two seem to know your cocktails. Where are ya from?"

"You know where we're from," Harribel whispered. "I don't want to cause a scene until I've finished my drink."

"That's fine, we don't want to cause a scene either," Kensei said. "What gave it away?"

"The leotard," Starrk said.

"I told Shinji that he should have sent Hachi with me, but he insisted that I bring Mashiro."

"Hey, Kensei," Mashiro said. "You know we're not supposed to talk to them, right?"

"Be quiet, they figured us out because of your leotard. The least I can do is talk with them. So, where are ya headin'?"

"Karakura Town," Harribel said.

"Oh…"

"Here are your drinks," the barkeep said and placed the two glasses before Starrk and Harribel.

"Thanks," Starrk said. "Oh, and do you have any Chappy's Old Fashioned Sarsaparilla?"

"Sure do, do you want to take a bottle with ya?"

"Yes, that would be great."

"Not a problem, sir. Would ya like me to uncap it?"

"Nah, it's for my little sister. She's in the general store with my wife's friends."

Harribel looked at Starrk, her eyes wide. However, she gave a slight smile as she punched him slightly in the arm. Mashiro sighed and looked at Kensei who only closed his eyes and shook his head. He really hated such lovey-dovey shit, but Mashiro really loved it.

"That's nice," the barkeep said, not very interested and he put a bottle of Sarsaparilla on the counter and walked away.

"So, where were we?" Starrk asked making sure the brand on the bottle was Chappy's.

"You said that you were going to Karakura Town."

"That's right, and we want Sheriff Kurosaki to know it," Harribel said.

"I see. You know he has a group from Xcution waiting at the Garganta Pass, right?"

"We figured that he would have someone there to arrest us," Starrk said. "Knowing that it's Xcution and not the Pinkerton Agency makes us feel a lot better."

"Why wouldn't you want the Pinkerton Agency involved?" Kensei asked, suddenly interested.

"We'll only say what we have to say to Sheriff Kurosaki…in person," Starrk said. "It's the only way to make sure that he knows what's going on. It's not that I don't trust you, but I want to see how Ichigo reacts when we tell him what we have to say. That's all."

"Why would you want that?"

"Because," Harribel said. "It's the only way to tell if he believes us or not. It's the only way to make sure that something will be done."

"Why should he believe you? After all, you two are nothing more than filthy Arrancars."

"That's it, I've had enough of this," Harribel said, draining her drink.

"Harribel, let's not do anything rash," Starrk said, but he put the bottle of soda for Lilynette in his pocket.

At that moment, they heard Lilynette whistling the opening keys to "Clavar la Espada". Starrk smiled and drained his own drink. He then nodded to Harribel who grinned.

"I'm afraid that we really must get going," Harribel said. "After all, we wouldn't want anyone to ruin our HOLIDAY!"

_Szayel Aporro Ranch_

Mabashi hid behind a tree. He saw Jinnai go in and then heard a gunshot. He looked to where Genga hid around the corner of the cabin. Mabashi felt that something wasn't quite right. It was too quiet. There were no screams. Jinnai told them that he intended to make Szayel Aporro suffer. However, there were no sounds of torture.

Mabashi gestured to Genga who only shrugged. Mabashi then pointed to the door. They knew that this was the only door after they circled the cabin before taking position. They knew that Szayel Aporro would prefer to go through a door than jump out a window, so they ignored the windows. Genga understood. He approached the door, making sure to stay low as he passed the window. He reached for the door and pulled it open.

There was a figure, hidden in shadows, in the doorway. As if on impulse, Genga and Mabashi fired at the figure. The shadowy figure jerked and twitched with each bullet that struck it. They screamed in triumph and Mabashi rushed out from his cover. Then he stopped when Genga dragged the figure out. Mabashi's eyes widened when he saw Jinnai's corpse lying on the porch. Mabashi and Genga reloaded their revolvers. Then they heard the sound of breaking glass and something heavy landing on the porch.

"Shit," he whispered. "THE WINDOW! THE FUCKER'S TRYING TO ESCAPE!"

They turned and shot at the figure lying on the porch under the front window. When their revolvers were empty, both men were panting. Mabashi approached the figure and realized their mistake.

"Mabashi, what is…?" Genga began.

Then a gunshot roared and Genga's eyes widened. Mabashi turned and saw Genga's body collapse, revealing Szayel Aporro standing in front of the doorway.

"I knew it," Mabashi moaned.

"You know, I can't believe you actually fell for that one. A pity, that coat rack was an antique," he said and shot Mabashi in the head.

"Shit, I missed," Szayel Aporro moaned. "I only wanted to shoot you in the gut. That way I could ask you some questions. Of course…you might not have talked."

Szayel Aporro looked at the three corpses on his porch and shook his head. Even though he didn't want to get involved, he knew he was involved now. He went back inside and took the plum-colored jacket he draped over his armchair. He then went to the barn that also served as his workshop. He had a lot to do and not much time to do it.

"Damn you, Ulquiorra," he muttered.

_Outside Junrinan_

Ulquiorra watched from his cover in the hillsides. He held the binoculars up to his eyes, careful to make sure that the lenses did not reflect any sunlight. He watched Starrk and Harribel enter the saloon while Sung-Sun was planting explosives along the side of the building. Apacci and Mila Rose stayed outside the saloon, but were on either side of the batwing doors. Lilynette was further down, rigging her own explosives and keeping an eye for Gotei.

"What are you up to?" Ulquiorra muttered.

He then saw a group of three approaching. One was rather large and muscular and wearing a Gotei uniform. Another was a woman with a large burn scar on the right side of her neck while the third was a heavy-set man who was riding a boar for some reason. He saw that Lilynette saw the three figures and rushed back to the saloon.

_Junrinan_

"I'm afraid we really must get going. After all, we wouldn't want anyone to ruin our HOLIDAY!"

As soon as Harribel shouted the word, "Holiday," Apacci and Mila Rose rushed in. Their revolvers were drawn and they fired above the crowded room. Kensei and Mashiro ducked and brought out their revolvers, but by the time they got up, the four Arrancars were gone.

"Come on," Kensei said. "We have to get…"

Then the side of the saloon blew inwards. Planks of wood flew through the air. People began to rush around in a mad panic. Kensei and Mashiro tried to fight their way through the crowd. However, the crowd was so thick that they were unable to reach the batwing doors and there was too much debris to use the gaping hole in the side as an alternative.

"DAMN IT!" Kensei shouted.

Outside, Jidanbo halted when they heard gunfire. Kukaku and Ganju stopped as well. Their eyes went wide with terror. Jidanbo however looked towards the saloon and saw a familiar girl. He knew what was going on. He brought out one of his tomahawks and rushed to the saloon. Kukaku and Ganju started to follow him when there was a loud explosion.

"WHAT THE…?" Jidanbo called out.

Ganju and Kukaku stopped. Ganju ducked to the ground, covering his head with his hands. Kukaku, who had more experience with working with explosives, did not move when she realized just how controlled it probably was. Jidanbo was getting to his feet when Sung-Sun ran out from an alley across the street. Apacci and Mila Rose were reloading their revolvers as Lilynette talked with Starrk and Harribel. Then, all of their eyes were on the three.

"Oh…hey Jidanbo," Starrk called out, waving. "I'm sorry about causing this much damage, but we really had to make sure that they know we're here. Would you please make sure that Ichigo knows to expect us pretty soon?"

"Uh…sure," Jidanbo said, confused.

"Thanks, you're a real pal," Harribel called out and waved. "Also, if you see Mr. Murphy, please tell him to make sure that he converts all of the cash in his banks into gold as soon as he can. In fact, I suggest that all of you do that while you still can."

With that, the group of six rushed away. When they reached the edge of town, a large series of explosions followed. Jidanbo saw the two Visoreds rush out and look in the direction that the explosions came. They then rushed to the telegraph office to make their report. Ganju and Jidanbo looked at each other, uncertain of what just occurred. Kukaku, however, stood gaping at the billowing smoke that resulted from the explosions.

"What…was that about?" Ganju asked.

"They must know something that the rest of us don't," Jidanbo said.

"DAMN IT, I'M SUPPOSED TO BE THE EXPLOSIVES EXPERT AROUND HERE!" Kukaku shouted.

_Karakura Town_

Ichigo looked over the message that Akon just delivered. His brow furrowed in concentration. If what he was reading was correct then the two Espadas had something of the utmost importance to tell him.

"Man, they sure are going through a lot of trouble just to tell ya they're coming," Renji said.

"I know," Ichigo said. "But that's what I don't get. Normally, outlaws don't just go about trying to make their presences known. The only ones that do that are usually vain or stupid, and those two are neither."

"Actually," Rukia said. "You forgot a third possibility."

"What's that?"

"Well, they want their presence to be known because they want to warn us about something."

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," Renji said. "They're Arrancars. Hell, they're ESPADA. Why would they expect us to believe anything they have to say?"

"Rukia's right," Ichigo said. "Maybe they want us to know where they are so that way we can keep an eye on them. They want us to know that they can be trusted."

"Then why go about destroying property?"

"You know, Renji has a good point. Rukia, what do you think?"

"It's to show us what they're capable of," Rukia said. "They want us to know that even though they're making their way to us, they can still cause a lot of damage. They want to make sure that we don't take them lightly."

"You seem to have thought a lot about this," Renji said.

"Actually, my brother helped me with some of this."

"Speaking of Byakuya," Ichigo muttered. "When is he supposed to get here?"

"He should be here either tonight or tomorrow with some of the other Captains."

_Fort Seireitei_

"Sir, we have received a telegram from Aizen."

"What does he say?" Yamamoto asked the soldier.

"Sir, he'll be returning in about a day or so. He was unable to locate the Espada, but he was able to find three notorious Arrancar criminals. He is bringing them here along with an armed escort of Borderlanders who were of great assistance to him."

"I see. Who are these Borderlanders?"

"We only know that they are a group called the Guardians of the Borderlands and are led by the Plateado Brothers."

"Yes, if I recall, there were reports of them fighting against Rudobon along the southwestern border after the massacre at Dagger Creek.

"Very well," Yamamoto said. "Be sure to send a message to all personnel that Aizen and his guests are not to be hindered and welcomed into Fort Seireitei."

_Las Noches_

Grimmjow sat with his Panteras and watched as Aizen rode in with Rudobon and Arturo Plateado on either side. Shawlong stood up and Grimmjow noticed the surprise in his face.

"He actually got the two forces he wanted," Shawlong said.

"Yeah, and he did it a lot sooner than I expected," Grimmjow said.

They watched as Aizen whispered something to Rudobon who only nodded before riding off. Grimmjow assumed that it was some kind of last instructions before allowing the commander of the Exequias Army to go on his merry way. Arturo looked at the Arrancars and whispered something to Aizen who only nodded. Grimmjow knew that Ulquiorra and Nel would have to know about this as soon as possible.

He watched as Nirgge rushed up to Aizen and bow. Aizen looked at him with intrigue. Grimmjow knew that Nirgge must be informing Aizen about the prisoner. Aizen did not show any emotion on his face but only nodded and whispered something to Nirgge. Nirgge nodded and rushed away, most likely to inform Baraggan of what Aizen said.

"Hey Grimmjow," Di Roy whispered. "What do ya think that was all about?"

"Hell if I know," Grimmjow muttered. "Maybe Nirgge was telling him about the prisoner."

"I'm surprised that Zommari isn't right in front of him kissing his fuckin' feet," Nakeem growled.

"Yeah, where is he anyways?" Edorad asked.

"He's probably going over the shipping plans with Aisslinger," Grimmjow said. "But as soon as he hears…oh, there he is."

Grimmjow pointed and they saw Zommari rushing over to Aizen. He went to his knees and began kissing Aizen's feet. Grimmjow was disgusted with this display of complete adoration. None of them were surprised to see Aizen smiling as Zommari got up.

"Lord Aizen, I was just going over the shipping plans with Aisslinger," Zommari said. "Luppi has already given his report. Over half of the Gotei troops stationed in the Borderlands are addicted to either Brujería or Amor. We have a large shipment heading out today."

"Excellent work, Zommari," Aizen said. "However, hold off on the shipment for a little bit."

"But sir, it's ready to depart and…"

"Are you questioning me?"

"No sir, I apologize. I listen and obey your great wisdom."

"Good," Aizen said. "Everyone gather around. As you may have noticed I have gained the support of Rudobon and the Plateado Brothers. They have received their instructions and both have agreed to them. I will not give you any details of what I have planned for them since it is none of your concern.

"All that you need to know is that you will be marching soon against the Borderlands. However, I will give further instructions to the Primera Espada, Baraggan Luisenbarn. When he tells you the time has come to march, you will march."

Grimmjow looked at his Panteras and grinned. They grinned back. Shawlong nodded, knowing that Grimmjow was thinking that this would provide the perfect opportunity to get rid of Zommari. However, Grimmjow no longer intended to get rid of Zommari. He now knew that two larger threats had just come onto the board and he would have to make that clear to his fraccion. There was to be no attempt made on Zommari's life, at least for the time being.

_Urahara Shop_

Kisuke Urahara refilled the jar for Chappy's Root Beer Barrels when Yoruichi Shihoin entered. He could tell that something was bothering her, but then he saw that Murphy Davis was with her. Now he knew that something was up.

"Mr. Davis, what seems to be the problem?"

"Kisuke, something's happened. Yesterday, I made the call to have all of the cash in my banks to be converted into gold, but this morning I found out that the trains carrying the gold were ambushed."

"What?" Kisuke asked, shocked.

"I'm afraid it's true, Kisuke," Yoruichi said. "Right now almost all of the bankers are panicking."

"Is it just those who did not make deals with Hogyoku United?"

"No," Davis said. "It was everyone who was still using the Senkaimon rail lines to transport gold. However, those who used the Garganta line were not affected."

"I see, and I guess that the timing must just be a coincidence."

"I don't think so," Davis said. "This was planned out in advance. Think about it, Kisuke. There are ten Senkaimon lines that operate at night to deliver gold to the banks throughout the Provinces. Last night, each and every one of them was hit. I got three separate reports of attacks all timed exactly 45 minutes after three in the morning."

"Who has access to that kind of information?"

"Well, the rail companies," Yoruichi said. "However, since the Garganta line is privately owned, they would not have access to that kind of information. Also the Pinkerton Agency would since they supply most of the…" she stopped and her eyes widened.

"They supply most of the security," Kisuke said. "That means that the Pinkerton Agency is compromised."

"Are you suggesting that someone within the Pinkerton Agency is behind this whole thing?" Davis asked.

"Not the whole thing," Kisuke said. "No, someone in the Pinkerton Agency is a major player. If Shadow Lurker is indeed behind this whole thing, he would need help. We suspected Tosen and now that looks to be the case. That means that the judicial and governmental branch has been compromised. Then there's Gin Ichimaru. We cannot overlook the fact that he owns the Garganta line, which will pretty soon become the only legitimate line to transport gold in large quantities. That means that the economical branch is compromised. Finally, we have someone in the Pinkerton Agency, which can gain access to all of the other Privatized Squads."

"Well, at least the Gotei hasn't been compromised," Davis said, somewhat relieved.

"I wouldn't be too sure," Yoruichi said. "Mr. Murphy, you weren't here when the Espada attacked four months ago, right?"

"No, I was in the Southern Provinces, visiting family when it happened."

"Did you hear about the men who rode in to the rescue?"

"Yeah, there were three men."

"Did you ever hear their names?"

"Well…yeah, but…"

Understanding came into his eyes. He realized that they had just talked about two of the three men only moments before. He felt as if he would faint at any given moment.

"You understand now?" Urahara asked.

"Do we…can we tell someone?"

"Mr. Murphy," Yoruichi said. "We could try, but without solid evidence we can accomplish nothing. Kisuke and I are not exactly on best terms with the Gotei. Even if we were, there's no guarantee that he doesn't have anyone else on the inside."

"Also, who would want to believe it?" Davis asked. "Hell, I listened to the argument presented before me and I still don't want to believe it."

"Yet, that's where the argument points," Urahara said.

"I know. If Tosen and Ichimaru are involved, then Aizen must be as well. If that's the case, then Aizen is most likely Shadow Lurker."

The three sat in silence for a little while, but none noticed that they had been over-heard. The young woman who was lurking outside the door, rushed away. She smiled at what she heard. Hanza Nukui was right, following Yoruichi did turn up some valuable info, like the fact that those three suspected the truth. She raced to the saloon across the street and went up to the room where Jin Kariya was staying.

_Pinkerton Agency Offices_

Tsukishima frowned. The call he received from Jin Kariya confirmed his suspicions. Kisuke Urahara was far more dangerous than Aizen originally assessed. If that was true, then how many others did Aizen underestimate? Aizen thought that he was in full control, but this information showed cracks in Aizen's armor.

Aizen's fame was proving to be as much a liability as it was a smokescreen. Tsukishima felt somewhat relieved that Urahara decided to err on the side of caution. However, if something wasn't done about him soon, then there was a chance that everything could fall apart.

"Aizen, you fool," he whispered. "I told you we should have got rid of Urahara and Shihoin as soon as possible."

He knew that he wouldn't be able to contact Aizen any time soon, but he could inform Gin about this development. However, Gin would only tell him to wait and see. Tsukishima, however, was not one to just "wait-and-see". He knew that he could be putting everything in jeopardy, unless he played it right.

He knew that nobody knew who Shadow Lurker was. That was the card to play. If Urahara wanted evidence, then he would get evidence. Tsukishima understood the risks, but he knew that the evidence could be manipulated to fit his needs. He picked up the phone and began making the calls.

_Outside Junrinan_

The six rode on.

They knew that with each step they were getting closer to the Garganta Pass. It was hard to believe that only four months ago the Espadas travelled this same road to attack Karakura Town. Now, three of those who rode that path were doing so again with very different reasons. They were getting closer to their goal. Soon, everything would come down to who was going to capture them and if they could speak with Ichigo Kurosaki or one of the others who would be willing to listen to them.

"It's up ahead," Harribel said and pointed to a tall natural pillar of stone.

A combination of the natural elements and man's own artistry gave it the appearance of a grim warrior with two animals standing guard over the Pass. They were the only ones travelling this road since most people now travelled using the rail system that cut through the Kabe Mountains. Many did this because they believed the old legends that the Garganta Pass was a cursed place and the invasion of the Espadas only four months before seemed to strengthen that view.

"We've come full circle," Starrk whispered.

"Damn, that thing gives me the creeps," Mila Rose said as she looked at the tall statue.

"That must be the famous Guardian of Garganta," Sung-Sun whispered. "Legend tells of how centuries ago a lone man stood his ground here against the creatures that lived in the Wastes. The creatures killed him, but as he died, a tall pillar of stone rose from the ground and continued the fight."

"I heard that story," Apacci said. "The stone became his tomb and people carved his image in it as a memorial to his courage."

"That's what happens when time goes on," Starrk said. "Truth becomes distorted and eventually becomes nothing more than a vague reflection of what really happened. The Guardian of Garganta was a real person who lived a long time ago. The true tale has been obscured by time that it's difficult to say what really happened and so many people came up with their own stories. The tribes who dwell in the Valley of Five Rivers have one of the better stories, though."

"Tell us, Starrk," Lilynette said, sounding rather interested.

"Well, according to them, he was a Shaman who lived about 200 years ago. When the original inhabitants of the Gensei Provinces were being pushed ever westward into the Borderlands and eventually into the Wastes, many swore vengeance. The Shaman for the Tribes of Five Rivers was a man of great understanding and wisdom and knew that if they succeeded into regaining entry into the lands beyond the Garganta Pass, then they would kill without discretion.

"So, when he saw that they were gathering a force against them, he decided that he would stand his ground at the entrance to the Pass, even if he had to stand alone. He passed the word throughout the Provinces, summoning the Tribes to stand with him, but none came either out of fear or because they thought that he was insane. Even his own people did not listen to him. When the day came for the attack, the forces from the Borderlands and Wastes saw that he stood alone.

"They laughed at him and called him a fool because he dared to stand his ground even though no one else came to stand with him. They said that this should show that his beloved Gotei were powerless or were too proud. However, the Shaman only stood his ground and called out to his ancestors to send him aid.

"Then, a remarkable thing happened. All of the beasts of the land came to stand with him. First the wolves, which were his brothers, and the deer, which were his sisters, came and stood on either side of him. Then the bats came and the great mountain cats. The sheep and goats and horses and falcons and eagles came to him and they blocked the path.

"However, the would-be avengers only laughed at this sight. They thought it was a joke that the only ones to stand with the brave Shaman were lowly beasts. They charged forward, but the animals and Shaman showed no fear, but held their ground. Then they rushed forward and the two forces collided.

"A great battle broke out between the two forces until the would-be invaders were forced back. By the time that the Gotei heard about what happened, they rushed to the Garganta Pass and saw the Shaman dead. However, Okami, Lord of Wolves, and Mesu, Queen of the Deer, who were the first two to arrive, laid by his side, howling and crying in grief. The Gotei soldiers looked upon this sight in grief and wonder and they honored the Shaman by burning his body, as was the custom of the Tribes of the Five Rivers.

"However, when his body was ashes, it was caught up in the wind made by Okami's and Mesu's passing to be taken back to his people in the Valley of Rivers. The Gotei then commissioned that the tall rock spire at the entrance to the Garganta Pass be made to resemble the Shaman with the wolf and doe at his sides."

When Starrk finished, he placed his fist on his forehead and bowed to the giant statue and then, in a smooth arc, brought his fist to his chest.

"Yukan'na soryo wa, Okami, Mesu, gai kara mi o mamoru," Starrk said. "Sacerdote valiente, Okami, Mesu, nos protegen de cualquier daño."

"What did you say?" Apacci asked, somewhat in awe.

"I said, 'Brave Priest, Okami, Mesu, protect us from harm,'" Starrk said. "It's a traditional prayer for places that are marked with the Shaman, Okami, and Mesu. It is customary to say it in both the old language of where the place is and the native tongue of the person saying the prayer."

"So that's what you were doing here," Harribel said, remembering how four months ago before they passed through the Garganta Pass, Starrk stood at this very spot.

"Yes," Starrk said.

"How did his people react though?" Mila Rose asked.

"They were greatly ashamed," Starrk said. "Their disbelief in the Shaman's warnings is considered one of the Great Failings for their people. As a result, they always carve the figures of the Shaman, Okami, and Mesu in places that they consider sacred as well as in their homes. It is to remind them that should anyone call for aid, they should go to help them. By doing so, they can help atone for the Great Failing."

"It's just a story, right?" Sung-Sun asked. "I mean, the animals didn't really come to his aid."

"It's doubtful that the animals coming really happened, but I believe that there might be some truth to it," Starrk said. "Anyways, that's enough of that. We should get going otherwise our future wards will grow impatient."

As they rode on, Harribel thought about the story that Starrk told them. Okami and Mesu and their children were the first ones to aid the Shaman. Then she thought of her dreams with the wolf, cub, and doe walking together in the desert. She couldn't help but wonder if they were repeating the legend.

_Karakura Town_

Jin Kariya looked at the message he received from Hanza Nukui. His orders were fairly straight-forward and he began to think of who to assign for these targets. He was slightly worried that he hadn't heard back from the three he sent to eliminate Szayel Aporro, but he didn't think too much of it. They may not be as good as some of the other assassins in his group, but they were better than most of those in the Kage no Tanken.

"Sir, you wanted to see me," the plain-looking woman in the doorway said.

"Ah, come in, Yoshi," he said.

Yoshi brushed aside her long, dark teal hair from her face. She sat at the table across from Jin who was rubbing the scar on the left side of his chin. She knew that it was an old habit he did when he was thinking something over.

"Yes, Yoshi," he said. "Good work with tailing Urahara. The information that you gave has helped for a decision to be made. From now on, you're no longer assigned to following Urahara."

"Good, I was getting bored with it. So, what decision has the leadership made?"

"We have received orders from Hanza Nukui," he said.

"Oh, does he want us to eliminate some people?"

"Yes, and I have the list of names," he said, holding up the sheet of paper. "However, I'm having difficulty in deciding on whom to send to eliminate them."

"You know I want to do one," Yoshi said, grinning.

"I know, but I think I have a much better proposal for you, my dear."

"Really, and what might that be?"

"I've received another set of orders from Tsukishima himself on top of these he sent through Nukui. I think…those orders might be more to your taste."

"What are they?"

"In a moment, first though, I need your help in knowing who to send to eliminate these people," he said and handed her the sheet of paper.

Yoshi took it and unfolded it. She took one look at the names and smiled.

"I can do that," she said, and wrote names of some of their colleagues next to the other names.

_Outside Junrinan_

Ulquiorra Schiffer rode in silence. He watched carefully as Starrk and his group made their way to the Garganta Pass. He knew that he was to stay back and remain hidden. He was only to observe what happened, unless those who were sent to arrest them tried to kill them. Then he was to step in and do what he had to.

"This had better work," Ulquiorra muttered as he sent his horse up the hidden trail that led to the top of one of the cliffs that flanked the Pass.

When he reached the top of the cliff, he rode along the edge until he came to a point where he saw two individuals watching and waiting. He knew that he must have found those who were sent to arrest them, but he wondered why there were only two. He knew that they weren't Visoreds, but he didn't know who they were.

He dismounted and led his horse, Murciélago, away from the edge and tied him to a boulder. Then, he returned to the edge and brought out his revolvers. He then got on his stomach and aimed his revolvers at the two figures below him. So far, so good, neither showed any signs of knowing that someone was watching them.

In the distance, night began to cover the Gensei Provinces.

_Las Noches_

Nelliel Tu Odelschwank watched as Grimmjow made his way to the agreed meeting spot. He looked as if something important had occurred. She turned to look at Pesche and Dondochakka who were looking around to make sure that there wasn't an ambush. When Grimmjow reached her, he stopped and leaned forward to catch his breath.

"What's wrong?" Nel asked.

"Aizen…just…passed the order," he panted. "We're going to march soon, but we don't know when. He gave those instructions to Baraggan."

"I see," she said. "Is there anything else?"

"Yeah, Aizen ordered for Aisslinger to hold off on shipping the latest batch of Brujería and Amor."

"Hmm, why would he do that?"

"I don't know. But, I think it might have to do something with Luppi's job of making more people in the Borderlands addicted."

"Of course, I should have thought about how addictive Brujería and Amor can be. Like any addictive substance, if the supply isn't there…"

"…then the pain of withdrawal takes over," Grimmjow said, realizing the possibilities.

"Grimm, how many of the Gotei stationed in the Borderlands are addicted?"

"I don't know, but Luppi should know."

"Well, you can't exactly ask him. No, there must be some way to find out that information, because that could be why Aizen is withholding the shipment."

_Inoue Residence, Karakura Town_

"Come in," Orihime called out when she heard the knock at the door.

Isshin Kurosaki opened the door and walked in. He closed the door behind him and took off his hat.

"Oh, Mr. Kurosaki, what is it?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you're fine," Isshin said. "Will you be alright here? You know you can stay with us for as long as you like."

"Oh, I'll be fine," Orihime said. "Isaac and Miria will be coming over for dinner tonight."

"Oh, you mean that couple you introduced us to when you arrived?"

"Yeah, they're very nice and very funny. We had fun together on the trip over."

"That's good."

"Mr. Kurosaki, what do you really want to talk to me about?"

"Well, I wanted to hear what you thought about the Arrancar who are heading towards us. I know what Mr. Murphy thinks of them, but I wanted to hear it from someone whom I truly know and care about."

"I see. If you must know, then I'll tell you that they're not the threat. I think that they want to help us."

"I figured as much," Isshin said. "Well, I better get back before Yuzu and Karin get worried and wonder where I am."

"Okay, thanks for stopping by, Mr. Kurosaki."

"You know you can just call me Isshin," he said smiling.

"Okay," Orihime said, smiling back at him.

"Orihime," he said.

"Yeah?"

"Promise me that you'll be careful. I've got a feeling that something's going to happen tonight."

_Ishida Residence, Karakura Town_

Ryuken Ishida sat in front of the fireplace.

He took another sip of brandy as he thought about what Davis told them about the gold shipments. Earlier, he and Isshin went to meet with Urahara and Davis to see if they found out anything more. The information about the shipping clause within the bill and the raids on the gold shipment last evening was disturbing, but it wasn't actual evidence. He knew that the Gotei would only dismiss it as coincidence and that the raids on the gold shipment were the works of Arrancars.

However, Ryuken didn't hear of any other Arrancar, other than those seven who were heading towards Karakura Town, riding in the Gensei Provinces. However, when he thought about it, Ryuken realized that he hadn't heard of any Arrancar raids for the past few weeks. He thought that the defeat of the Espada discouraged the other Arrancar from trying anything.

"No," he muttered. "When Rudobon was defeated, it only took five days for the raids to continue. Something must be going on."

"That's right, something is going on," someone said.

Ryuken stood up and turned. A tall, lean figure stood in the shadows. He could only make that the figure was male and he had something around his shoulders. Ryuken blinked when he saw the thing move and heard a faint hissing noise. His eyes widened when he heard the snake.

"Who…who are you?" he asked, sounding afraid.

"Now now, none of that," the man said as he stepped forward. "You know who I am."

When the man stepped into the light, Ryuken's eyes widened even more. The man standing before him wore a pair of pin-striped black trousers. His white shirt was clean and crisp while his dark brown vest appeared old. The man swept on hand over his short-cropped brown hair as though trying to keep a few wayward strands under control.

"Ryo Utagawa," he whispered.

"Ah, so you do remember me, old friend."

"What are you doing here?"

"You should know."

"I see. Was it Shadow Lurker who gave you the order?"

"No, but it was from someone who works with Shadow Lurker."

Ryuken closed his eyes and looked at the former Quincy. After the Massacre at Dagger Creek, the Quincy Squad was dissolved. Ryuken took to medicine, but his former boy-hood friend became an assassin. He looked at the snake that was now slithering down Ryo's arm. He was not surprised to see the white skull-like marking of a Death's Head Viper on its head.

"What are you going to do with my son?"

"Don't worry," Ryo said as he raised his arm and allowed the Death's Head Viper to look at Ryuken. "He's not my target."

The snake struck.

_Urahara Shop_

Kisuke Urahara stopped when he heard the footsteps.

"Who are you?" he asked.

There was no response.

"I want to know the name of my assassin."

Again, there was no response.

Kisuke loosened his muscles and dodged just as something flew at him. When he looked up he saw what looked like a playing card sticking out of the wall ahead of him. The figure behind him clapped and Urahara turned. He could only see a shadowy figure with light reflecting from a pair of glasses.

"That was most impressive," the figure said.

"Who are you?"

"Oh, just someone who's doing their job," the figure said and began to shuffle a deck of cards he held.

"Are you from the Kage no Tanken?"

"Very good, but I have a feeling that you won't be telling anyone anytime soon, Kisuke Urahara."

Kisuke did not have time to dodge as the card flew towards him. He raised his cane in an attempt to stop it, but the card cut through the solid wood and struck him in the chest. Kisuke collapsed to the floor, still alive, but unable to move.

The figure approached and Kisuke saw a man with extremely short black hair. He looked as though he could have been a banker, but the smile on his face showed him to be a killer. He leaned down and took the card from Kisuke's chest. Urahara let out a moan of discomfort and blood began to flow from the wound.

"Don't worry, you'll live. I have my orders: don't kill, only maim."

As he said that, the man flicked two cards, one into each of Urahara's hands. Urahara tried to scream, but couldn't. The man only smiled as he pulled the cards out and then got up and went to the one in the wall. As soon as he freed that card, he put the deck of cards into his suit jacket pocket and began to walk away.

"You're lucky that you got the regular cards," the man said. "Their edges are laced with a paralysis drug that should keep you out for a while. By the time you recover, it will be too late to stop what's coming. Oh…I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I? I'm sorry for my rudeness, Mr. Urahara. My name is Ugaki. Now, I must be going. Have a pleasant evening."

Ugaki turned and walked out of the shop and into the growing darkness.

_Somewhere in Karakura Town_

Yoruichi stopped as she turned the corner.

She panted, hoping that she lost whoever was following her. She wanted to slap herself for not realizing that she was being followed sooner. However, she didn't have any reason to think that she was being followed. She moved her head to look around the corner and saw nothing but the empty street lit by the flickering flames in the lamp posts.

_Maybe I imagined it,_ she thought.

"Why did you stop? I was really enjoying our little game," a man said from behind her.

She gasped and turned. The man was tall, lean, and his lower face was hidden. His long brown hair was tied into a top knot. He tapped a long, shining dagger against his thigh. Yoruichi crouched into a defensive position. The man chuckled.

"You have some training," he said. "Of course, you are Yoruichi Shihoin. You were once Captain of Squad 2 and head of the Onmitsukido Squad. I'm curious about something. What happened that caused you and Kisuke to become exiles from the Gotei?"

"Sorry, but that's none of your business. Now, tell me your name and what you want with me."

"You're a feisty one. I like that. My name is Ryu Kuzu, and I'm here to kill you."

"Oh…well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news for you, but I have no intention of letting you kill me."

"I figured as much," Ryu said and charged at her.

Yoruichi dodged the dagger and struck out with her right foot. Ryu leapt over it and prepared to kick her when Yoruichi threw one of the small throwing knives she kept with her at him. Ryu's eyes widened in surprise, but he kept calm and caught the knife between his fore and middle fingers. However, this moment of diversion was exactly what Yoruichi needed.

She rushed at Ryu and struck him in the stomach with her head. Ryu tried to bring his dagger down on her, but she was quicker. She grabbed the hand holding the dagger and pulled out until his arm was wrenched from the socket. Ryu shrieked in pain and rage and stabbed her in the arm with her own throwing knife.

Pain shot up her arm and Yoruichi was glad that she never poisoned the daggers. She could feel blood run down her arm, but she ignored it. She put her entire focus on defeating her opponent. Ryu, seeing that he had a slight edge on her, began to fight with even greater vigor. However, Yoruichi kept her focus. She ignored the pain and the blood and fought back with everything she could muster.

"You know it's futile," Ryu said. "No matter how hard you try, you will die tonight. My employer gave us instructions on who to kill and who not to kill. You, my dear, are on the kill-list."

"What?" she asked, panic rose.

"That's right," Ryu said, chuckling. "Did you think that you were the only target for tonight?"

"Kisuke," she muttered.

"I don't know whether or not he was on the kill-list and I don't exactly care. I'm only getting paid to kill you."

"You…BASTARD!" she roared and brought another throwing knife from her sleeve and lashed upwards.

The blade sunk into Ryu's under chin and blood began to flow. Ryu howled and clapped a hand to the wound. Yoruichi kicked up and caught him in the chest. Ryu went flying backwards and Yoruichi leapt on top of him.

"TALK!" she screamed. "TALK YOU BASTARD!"

"Bitch," Ryu muttered and bit down hard on something.

"Shit," Yoruichi said and stripped off the bandana he used to hide his lower face.

Foam, mixed with blood, began to bubble from his mouth. His eyes rolled up until only the whites showed. Yoruichi clawed his mouth open and tried to make him vomit. However, it was too late. The assassin was dead.

Yoruichi sat over his corpse panting. She yelled and began striking his corpse. Tears rolled from her eyes. Thoughts wound through her mind. Who else was targeted? Who else was supposed to die tonight?

"Oh God, Kisuke," she muttered as she got up.

She rushed back to the Urahara Shop.

_Murphy Residence, Karakura Town_

Davis Murphy stared at the woman standing in his living room. She had long brown hair and wore a long dark-green coat over a lavender shirt and dark blue jeans that were tucked into a pair of black leather boots. Her soft brown eyes looked at him.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Yoshino Soma," she replied. "I am from the Kage no Tanken."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because, my employers want our targets to know that the Kage no Tanken is involved. Whether they're on the kill-list or not is of no consequence."

"Who else are you targeting?"

"Personally, I'm only targeting you. My orders are very clear on this matter, Mr. Murphy."

"I guess that Gin found out that I was investigating him."

"Mr. Ichimaru did not give the order, but one of his other colleagues did."

"So, because you're telling me this, I can assume that I'm on the kill-list."

Yoshino did not answer, but only looked at him. Davis sighed and sat down in his favorite chair. He looked at the picture of his mother and father and sister, sorry that he would not see them again. He wished that he could tell them that he loved them. He heard Yoshino approaching him and felt something cold press on the side of his neck.

"I'm sorry," she said, "but…"

He couldn't make out the rest as darkness took him.

_Senkaimon Express, From Fort Seireitei to Karakura Town_

Byakuya Kuchiki looked out at the passing night.

"We should be there in another couple of hours," Ukitake said. "I'm surprised that you didn't send a telegram telling Rukia when we would be arriving."

"I did not wish for her to spend most of the night waiting for my arrival," Byakuya said.

"Don't ya think it's rather rude that ya didn't at least let her know we were coming?" Kyoraku asked.

"As I said before, I did not wish for her to know. She has enough to worry about."

"Captain," a woman said.

The three turned and saw Lieutenant Nanao standing in the door.

"What is it, Nanao?" Kyoraku asked.

"You wished to be updated on the situation concerning the Arrancar. I have received a report," she said and held out the telegram.

"Thanks Nanao," Kyoraku said as he took the telegram. "How are the others doing?"

"Officers Kiyone and Sentaro are arguing as usual. Lieutenant Isane and Officer Hanataro have moved to another compartment to try to get some sleep."

"I should get those two to calm down," Ukitake said as he got up.

"No need," Unohana said, smiling gently at him. "I'll take care of it."

"Oh…thanks," Ukitake said as he sat back down and Unohana left the compartment.

"What does it say?" Byakuya asked.

"Well, Ichigo just got a call from the two Xcution agents he stationed at the Garganta Pass. You know, I have to admit, we should get those field telephones for our forces. It would make communication a lot easier."

"Kyoraku, the main topic is not field telephones," Byakuya said. "What do they have to report?"

"Oh…well, the telegram says that the Arrancars have reached the Garganta Pass and they're about to make the arrest," Kyoraku said and passed the telegram to Ukitake.

"Well, at least…" Ukitake began when they felt the train coming to a stop.

"What the…?"Kyoraku began.

Byakuya stood up, his eyes widened.

"Byakuya, what is it?" Ukitake asked.

"GET DOWN!" Byakuya shouted as the gunfire from outside began.

_Garganta Pass_

Jackie "Dirty Boots" Tristan sat, admiring the boots that were her trademark. If anyone saw her boots, they would have said that they weren't just dirty. They were absolutely filthy. Clods of dried mud and dirt and stones and straw and anything else that could get stuck to a pair of boots covered them. .

"Hey, we're supposed to keep watch," Riruka said, groaning with disgust as she saw the look of ecstasy on Jackie's face.

"I know," Jackie said. "But they ain't here yet."

"Yeah, well…I just want to be prepared," Riruka said, wishing that she hadn't volunteered for this mission. "However, the thoughts of being the one to capture two of the most dangerous outlaws drew her to volunteer for this mission.

She hoped that Yukio or Giriko would have volunteered to go with her, but instead Jackie volunteered. She had to endure two days of Jackie admiring her filthy boots and cooing over them as if they were her babies. Sometimes, Riruka was tempted to just ride off and leave Jackie to do the job alone. However, the thoughts of the fame and fortune guaranteed for whoever caught the Los Lobos Duo and Blood Star and the Diamond Sisters kept her going. She looked at the field telephone, longing to pick it up and inform that hottie Ichigo that they caught them.

"They're coming," Jackie said and rushed to crouch behind a large boulder.

"It's about time," Riruka said, grinning.

They could hear the approaching hooves of the horses. They kept a close eye in case it was some kind of trick, but it wasn't. When the horses approached, they saw Starrk at the head with Lilynette beside him on his left and Harribel on his right. Just behind them were the three Diamond Sisters. They were surprised to see that all of them had one hand in the air, the gesture of surrender for those on horseback.

"It's alright," Starrk called out. "You can come out now. We're surrendering of our own free will."

Jackie and Riruka looked at each other. They merely shrugged and rose from their hiding places. They kept their revolvers on the six figures.

"Where's 'Night Bringer'?" Jackie asked.

"He's running errands," Apacci called out. "Besides, he doesn't want to be caught just yet."

"Alright, I want you to dismount and surrender your firearms," Riruka said. "Jackie, I've got this covered. Telephone Ichigo and tell him that we got 'em."

"Whatever," Jackie grunted as she walked to the field telephone.

Riruka turned back and saw that the six were off their horses with their weapons on the ground. Riruka was shocked to see explosives in front of Sung-Sun and Lilynette, but she shook that away. However, when she looked at Starrk, her eyes widened.

"Oh…my…God," she muttered. "He's so…he's so…FRICKIN' HOT!"

**End of Chapter 6**

**A.N.: That's six chapters done and I still have a lot of story left. Aizen has all of the pieces on the board and now he's setting them in motion and Tsukishima has made his own series of moves. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for reading and please review.**


	7. Chapter 7: No Hay Vuelta Atrás

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 7: No Hay Vuelta Atrás**

_Outside Karakura Town_

Gunfire rang through the night.

Yoshi looked at the work that the twin sisters, Ying and Yang, along with the other members of the Kage no Tanken who she sent with them, were doing on the train. Each of the sisters stood on the back of a wagon, screaming with joy as they turned the crank on their Bala-class automatic shooters. While not as powerful or destructive as the Cero-class canons, the Bala-class shooters could do a lot of damage.

"Yoshi," the woman next to her said.

Yoshi looked at Carolyn who was tugging at her long, curled purple hair. Her purple eyes seemed to sparkle as she watched and stroked the necklace of rabbits' feet she wore around her neck.

"What is it, Carolyn?" she asked.

"Do you think they're dead by now?"

"Why? Are you growing impatient?"

"Oh no, in fact I'm rather enjoying the show."

"Good," Yoshi said and brought out her watch. "Alright, that's enough," she yelled. "Let's get the Hell out of here before a Gotei Squad comes to see what happened. Ying, Yang, it's time to go."

"Aw, do we have to?" Ying moaned, as she brushed a hand through her blue hair.

"Yeah, we were starting to have some real fun," Yang said as she tossed her head, allowing her short red hair to become even more messy.

"I bet you were starting to get a little…wet down there," Ying said, smirking.

"You know it, and I bet the same could be said with you," Yang said, laughing.

"Enough of that, you've had your fun," Yoshi said. "But, you can kill them," she said and pointed to the crew who were tied.

"With pleasure," Ying said and the two adjusted their Bala-class shooters and mowed down the helpless men.

"Ho, Ban," Yoshi said to two of the younger men in the group. "Take care of any survivors. Koga, I want you to take care of the wireless."

"Yes ma'am," Go Koga, a rather large and muscular man with a bright orange Mohawk said and he made his way to the cabin where the wireless office was. Meanwhile, Ho and Ban separated to either end. "The rest of you, let's get the Hell out of here. We're done."

_Senkaimon Express to Fort Seireitei_

Dordoni looked at the cuffs and frowned.

"Why are we the ones locked up?" he asked.

"Aizen said that we would be the right ones to have as the 'prisoners'," Gantenbainne said.

"Yeah, no shit," Cirucci said. "This way we can be part of making a nice big bonfire. Although, I wish that he hadn't had them put on so tight."

"Relax, as soon as we get far enough from prying eyes, Master Aizen will allow you some freedom," one of their "guards" said.

In one of the other cabins, Aizen sat with Arturo and Mordred Plateado.

"So, what's the deal?" Mordred asked. "Are we going to hit them right away or not?"

"Not quite yet," Aizen said as he stared at the chess board before them. "I want to make sure that everything happens in sync with each other. By now, Tsukishima would have made his own moves to take out some of our opponents. It will be interesting to see how he can help take out some of their pieces," he said and moved one of the Knights to take out a Rook.

Arturo looked at the board and nodded as he moved a Pawn to take out one of Aizen's other Pawns. Mordred gave a snort and looked out the window.

"So, what is your next move?" Arturo asked.

"Ah…that would be my Queen's Bishop," Aizen said as he moved said piece, "to take out the King's Knight."

"That's a nice move," Arturo said, looking at the board. "However, you ignored this simple piece," he said and moved a Pawn to the end of Aizen's side of the board. "This gives me another Queen and I put you in Check."

"Clever," Aizen said, grinning. "However, you also failed to notice something…" he moved his other Rook and took out the second Queen. "This game of chess is exactly how I'm playing the larger game. And now, I have Checkmate in two moves."

"Hmm, but even then, you mustn't become too sure of victory," Arturo said, smiling. "Even the smallest piece," he said and took out Aizen's rook with another Pawn and turned it into another Queen, "can do something to ruin it. Now, I have Checkmate in one move."

Aizen frowned as he looked at the board and then grinned. He moved his Queen to one of the positions that he hadn't seen before.

"Checkmate," Aizen said.

"So it would seem," Arturo said, smiling. "Shall we play again?"

_Garganta Pass_

"Did you really have to tie us up like this?" Lilynette asked.

"Yeah, we did," Jackie said as she rode ahead. "Are the ropes too tight, little girl?"

"Who are you calling, 'little girl'?"

"Just take it easy. I didn't mean to offend."

The group of eight rode through the Garganta Pass with Jackie and Riruka making sure that their prisoners kept in line. So far, none of their prisoners tried to make a run for it.

"Well, at least you're all on your best behavior, right? Or perhaps, maybe a little bit of naughtiness will be alright?" Riruka said, batting her eyelashes at Starrk.

"Sorry, but I'm already called for," Starrk said and gestured to Harribel who was glaring at them.

"Damn it, just my luck," Riruka muttered. "All of the hot guys I meet are either taken or gay or just don't give a shit."

"Riruka, we're stopping for the night," Jackie said as she noticed how dark it was.

"Fine," Riruka said and unsaddled. "You should have paid attention to that a lot sooner. It's going to be a lot harder to make camp."

"Stop your bitchin' and just get some firewood."

"Oh and how am I supposed to find firewood? What if I get bitten by some rattler or worse, a Death's Head Viper?"

"That's not my problem."

"There's a cluster Candle Bushes next to you," Starrk said. "Just use the wood for that to make a fire. It's usually good for about five hours or so if you're careful."

"Why should we listen to you, Arrancar scum?" Riruka said, clearly annoyed.

"Riruka, just shut up and do what he says," Jackie said, rolling her eyes. "Just because he doesn't like you doesn't mean that you have to be rude to him."

"Fine, whatever," Riruka said as she dismounted and tromped off to the cluster of dry Candle Bushes.

"Sorry about that," Jackie said.

"Is she always like that?" Harribel asked, narrowing her eyes.

"You have no idea," Jackie replied. "I trust that none of you will run away."

"We won't," Starrk said.

"You must be pretty dumb if you still think that we're gonna run away," Apacci said.

"Yeah, we made sure that all of you guys knew we were comin'," Mila Rose said.

"Yeah, but you can't be too careful," Jackie said.

_Outside Karakura Town_

Koga looked at the wireless and decided to just shoot the damn thing.

"There, that takes care of that little problem," he whispered.

He heard footsteps in the hall and turned to see Ban with his revolver walking by. Koga was glad that he didn't get stuck with having to kill any survivors. He walked out of the small office when he heard gunfire. He turned and saw Ban laughing.

"Did you find one?"

"Hell yeah!" Ban screamed. "Two…trying to beg for…for MERCY YHAHAHAHA!" he screamed.

"Fucking freak," Koga growled as he made his way to the exit.

Then more gunfire erupted. Koga got down to the ground and crawled into one of the empty compartments. He turned and saw Ban firing from the safety of the doorway of the compartment he just came out of. Koga couldn't see who he was shooting at, but he knew that he had to get out.

He saw someone running towards them and recognized Ban's twin brother, Ho. Ban saw his brother and gestured him to duck into one of the compartments.

"NOW THIS IS WHAT I CALL FUN!" Ho shrieked as he dodged into the compartment across from his brother.

The two brothers laughed as they fired into the hall. Koga noticed that no one was shooting back.

"Damn idiots," he muttered as he checked his own revolver.

Ho and Ban realized that their first pair of revolvers were empty and were reloading when four figures rushed forward. The brothers didn't have time to react as the figures fired their own revolvers at them. Koga crawled deeper inside his compartment and hid under the seat. Outside, he could hear stomping feet and knew that things weren't turning out well for Ho and Ban.

"Shit, they have cyanide capsules," one screamed.

"Don't let them bite down," another shouted.

"Damn it," a third said.

_At least those idiots had enough sense to kill themselves,_ Koga thought as he clutched his revolver.

"Kiyone, Sentaro, are either of them alive?" someone asked.

"No Captain Ukitake," one of them said.

"They had cyanide capsules."

"Nanao, are you alright?" another voice said.

"I'm alright, Captain Kyoraku. Unfortunately they got Bill and Bob. The two didn't have time to reach for their revolvers."

"Captain Unohana, it would seem as if the others are also dead."

"I know, Isane, but we can't do anything now."

"Byakuya, what do you think we should do now?" Ukitake asked.

"Let's check on the horses," Byakuya said. "They should still be fine."

_Damn it, the fucking horses, we forgot to shoot the horses._

"What about the bodies?"

"Leave them. They'll be taken care of."

The footsteps left and Koga crawled his way out from under the seat. He was about to get up when he saw a revolver pointed at him. He clutched his revolver and stayed kneeling on the floor, making himself a smaller target.

"Don't even think about it," Byakuya said and he reached into Koga's mouth and plucked out the cyanide capsule hidden under his tongue. "You're coming with us and you're going to answer a few of our questions."

"I don't think so," Koga said and brought up his revolver. "I'm not going down alone."

Byakuya did not hesitate. He shot Koga's gun hand and Koga went down, blood pouring from the wound. His gun landed on the floor and was covered with blood. Byakuya approached him.

"You will answer my questions," Byakuya said. "Now, who sent you?"

"Fuck you," Koga said and brought out the dagger from its sheath strapped to his left arm and hidden by the sleeve of his jacket.

Byakuya's eyes widened as Koga slashed out. Byakuya dodged and Koga made a run for it. He was about five steps away from freedom when the door to the car opened and he saw Captain Kyoraku aiming a revolver at him.

"Not so fast. We need answers and we need them right away," Kyoraku said.

Koga turned and saw that Byakuya was blocking his path. He looked at the dagger and then buried it into his throat. Byakuya and Kyoraku rushed at him, but it was too late. Koga was dead.

"Well, that didn't go very well," Kyoraku said, frowning.

"Look at the tattoo on his hand," Byakuya said and showed Kyoraku the tattoo of a red skull in the webbing between his thumb and forefinger.

"Aka Zugaikotsu," Kyoraku said.

"Yes, and that means that the Kage no Tanken Squad is somehow involved," Byakuya said.

"Then we better get moving."

_Ishida Residence_

Uryu Ishida stared at the door, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. He knew that his father always locked the door, but it was hanging open. He brought out his revolver and opened the door with his shoulder, ready to shoot if he had to. His cane made a soft tapping noise on the carpeted floor and Uryu winced. However, everything was still quiet.

He saw the flickering light coming from the sitting room. Uryu made his way to the door and put his back against the wall next to the doorway. He then pivoted as best he could and aimed his revolver into the room. At first he didn't see anyone, but as his eyes moved towards the floor he felt himself go limp.

"Dad," he whispered.

There was no response. Fear rose in Uryu and he rushed to his father. Then he noticed that his father's face and side of his neck was bloated. Uryu saw the puncture wounds. Even though a part of him knew that his father was already dead, Uryu knelt and felt for a pulse. At first it was hard to tell if it was there, but then he felt it.

"I'll get Isshin," Uryu said as he ran to the phone.

_Urahara Shop_

"KISUKE!" Yoruichi shouted as she entered the shop.

With each step that she took, the more she became afraid. She refused to allow the thought that Kisuke was dead to even take root. However, she knew that it wasn't out of the question. Even though the assassin did not tell her who sent him, she saw the tattoo on his neck of a black dagger and skull when she stripped off his bandana. She only knew of one group that had that tattoo: the Kage no Tanken.

"Damn it," she said. "Maybe he's…"

"BOSS, are you alright?" someone shouted.

Yoruichi hurried and saw Tessai kneeling over the limp form of Kisuke. At first Yoruichi was afraid that he was dead, but then saw that Kisuke's chest was moving.

"Tessai, what happened?"

"I don't know. I just got back from the Sheriff's Office to tell Kisuke that they caught the Arrancars. Then…then I saw Kisuke on the floor."

"He's still alive?"

"Yes, he was just drugged with some kind of paralysis drug. Yoruichi, please get me some salt and I'll get some water and my bag."

Yoruichi nodded and then saw the wounds on Kisuke.

"Tessai, what do you think caused these wounds? They're kind of oddly shaped to be a knife's."

"That's not important right now," Tessai said as he brought out a cup full of water and a medical bag. "What's important is that we get Kisuke's body to flush out whatever is causing it."

"Tessai, what if it's already in his blood stream?"

"Don't worry," Tessai said. "I have a fairly good idea of what did this to him."

"What if you're wrong?"

Tessai stopped and looked at her. He shrugged and then got back to what he was doing. Yoruichi shook her head as she went to the salt larder. She opened it and took out the scoop and filled one of the bags with salt. As she made her way back to where Tessai was examining Kisuke she remembered something else that the assassin said. She put the bag of salt next to Tessai.

"I need to check on someone else," she said and rushed out of the shop.

_Murphy Residence_

"I'm so sorry," Yoshino said as she stuck the syringe into Davis Murphy's neck and pushed down on the plunger. "But you're going to wake up with one bitch of a headache."

"Well," someone said.

"Why are you here Jin?"

"You know me," Jin Kariya said as he stepped out of the shadows. "I just want to make sure that things are going smoothly. Ryo just got back from taking care of Ryuken."

"What did he say?"

"He told me that Ryuken is as good as dead now," Jin said. "I would have preferred it if he stayed to make sure."

"Right," Yoshino said as she looked at Davis Murphy. "This one didn't put up too much of a fight."

"How much did you give him?"

"Enough to make sure that he stays out for a bit. I'm surprised that not all of the targets were to be killed."

"I received my orders from Hanza Nukui and I only followed them. Let's go before someone comes checking on him."

"Who would?"

"Ryu failed in his assignment to kill the Shihoin bitch."

"What?"

"It's only a matter of time before Yoruichi comes here. We'll have to get going."

"Alright," Yoshino said. "I'm curious though. Why did Hanza allow them to see witnesses?"

"I don't know, and I doubt that even he knows for sure. However, if I was a betting man, I would say that everything is going well on Shadow Lurker's end."

"We're coming down to the wire, aren't we?"

"I would think so," Jin said, but he felt uneasy.

_Las Noches_

Sui-Feng sat on the bunk of her new cell. She felt as though she would break at any moment.

"I am a Captain of the Gotei," she whispered. "A Captain never shows fear in the sight of the enemy. A Captain…"

"…is a fool," Ggio said as he walked in. Sui-Feng looked up and saw that he was scowling. "Why do you even bother repeating that little mantra? You know it's not going to help you."

"It helps me to resist breaking," Sui-Feng said.

"I just don't get you," Ggio said as he pushed the bowl of watery broth and a piece of dried bread into her cell.

"Why are you here?"

"What does it look like? I'm here to give you your food."

"That's not what I meant. I meant: why are you looking after me?"

"I was assigned to…"

"No you weren't."

"What are you talking about?" Ggio asked, sounding nervous.

"No one was truly assigned to take care of me."

"You caught me," Ggio said, sighing. "You're right. Lord Baraggan didn't want any of us to look after you, but he did tell us that if we wanted to watch you and feed you and do whatever else we liked with you then we could. I guess…I guess I felt sorry for ya."

"Why?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"Maybe later," Ggio said. "You better eat up. We'll be hitting the road pretty soon."

"What?"

"Lord Baraggan just told us, his Crimson Dragons, what Shadow Lurker's orders are. We move out tomorrow. That way we'll be in position in time."

"For what?"

"You'll see. Anyways, I brought you this as well," Ggio said and held out a small pocket watch to her. "I found it among your things. I thought ya might want it."

Sui-Feng's eyes widened as she took the pocket watch. Tears came to her eyes when she opened it and saw the picture of her father standing with Yoruichi.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Who are they?" Ggio asked.

"The man's my father and the woman was someone who I looked up to. She was…she was like a mother to me."

"Did they have some kinda fling?"

"No," Sui-Feng said glad to talk about something else. "My father was partnered with her for a few missions and they became…I guess you could say that they became like brother and sister."

Ggio sat on the wooden bench outside. It was clear that he just brought her some level of comfort and he was glad that he did. The look she got on her face was…radiant and filled with pride.

"Tell me more," Ggio said.

"Why?"

"I guess…'cause I want to know you more," he said and sighed.

"Why would you want to do that?"

"I don't know."

_Ishida Residence_

Isshin rushed through the door as Uryu limped as fast as he could. He rushed to where Uryu said Ryuken was. At the sight of his friend's swollen face and neck, Isshin felt all of the color drain from his face. He knew that he had to hurry as he saw the wounds around the bite marks turn into an ugly yellowish brown color, the color of rotting fruit.

"You'll be alright," Isshin said as he opened his bag and took out a scalpel. "You're lucky that you were bitten by a Death's Head Viper before, otherwise you would be dead by now."

Isshin pressed the blade on the area close to the bite mark and pressed down. Blood flowed from the open wound and Ryuken's torso arched. Isshin then made a small cut close to the edges of the swollen areas. He had to make sure that he got as much of the venom out as possible and one of the best ways was to bleed him.

"How is he?" Uryu asked from the doorway.

"He'll be alright," Isshin said. "He was lucky that he got bitten by a Death's Head Viper on a mission that we were on. It helped to slow the process."

"How did a Viper get in here?"

"Someone let it in," Isshin said. "Death's Head Vipers are rarely seen outside of the Hueco Mundo Wastes. Whoever used it obviously didn't know that Ryuken's body is able to combat the venom. If they did, they wouldn't have used it."

"Unless they wanted him to die a cruel death," Uryu said through gritted teeth.

"No, his body would have fought it off in time, but he would have been in a lot more pain while recovering. You were right to call me. This way he'll have an easier recovery, but it will be long."

"Someone tried to kill my dad. I want to know who it was."

"Don't look at me. Someone must want him dead for some…reason," Isshin's eyes went wide and he rushed out the room.

"Hey…what am I supposed to do?" Uryu asked and grabbed Isshin's coat before he could get much further.

Isshin looked at Uryu and then at Ryuken.

"When the swelling gets down to about skin-level; cover the incisions with some bandages. Then get him to Gotei Hospital. They should have blood. Do you know his blood type?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Make sure that he gets a blood transfusion. He's going to need it."

"Where are you going?"

"I need to check on Yuzu and Karin."

_Fort Seireitei_

Aizen looked out the window as the train pulled into the station. Arturo and Mordred looked at him and nodded. He returned to looking out the window and saw that Gotei soldiers were standing in a row and he recognized some of them as those he recruited. He smiled.

"Alright, gentlemen," he said and turned to look at the Plateado Brothers. "It's show time."

"How long do we have to put up with this charade?" Mordred asked.

"Until I say it's time to strike," Aizen said and he walked out of the compartment.

"Shall we fetch our 'prisoners'?" Arturo asked as he put on his hat.

"Of course," Aizen said.

"Very good," Arturo said. "Moe, Reiichi, fetch the prisoners."

"Yes sir," the two young men said and rushed off.

"Are you ready for your debut?" Aizen asked.

"I am," Arturo said. "Mordred, try to keep your temper in check. If you fuck this up, I swear that I will kill you before any of the Gotei scum. Do I make myself clear?"

"Like crystal," Mordred muttered.

"He sometimes needs a firm hand," Arturo said.

"I understand," Aizen said smiling. "Now then, just follow my lead and everything will go well."

At that moment, Moe and Reiichi returned with the three Privaron Espada who were rebound in their chains.

"Master Aizen," Dordoni said and bowed.

"You three must do your parts as well. If you have to…call me a cock-sucking bastard or any other vulgarities that you can think of," Aizen said. "It makes it look more realistic."

"As you wish…you fucking cock-sucking mother-fucker," Cirucci said. "Like that?"

"Exactly," Aizen said. "Now, let's give them a grand performance."

_Sheriff's Office, Karakura Town_

"Ichigo, what's going on?" Renji asked as he rushed into the office.

Ichigo sat at his desk and looked at the messages he just received. Too much was going on for him to know what to deal with first. He was at a complete loss of words.

"Renji," Rukia said. "It's about time you got here. Ichigo and I have been absolutely swamped with what's been going on."

"What are you talking about?"

"First, Jackie and Riruka caught six of the Arrancars who were coming here," Rukia said. "Aizen caught the three Privaron Espada and is bringing them to Fort Seireitei with the help of the Guardians of the Borderlands."

"You mean that group led by the Plateado Brothers?"

"That's the one. Anyways, then we received a report that someone attacked Kisuke Urahara at his shop and Ryuken Ishida at his home."

"What?"

"I know, but it looks like Ryuken will live. But, he was bitten by a Death's Head Viper and recovery will take some time."

"What about the Kurosaki family?"

"Ichigo just heard from his dad. Yuzu and Karin are alright."

"That's a relief."

"I know. It's strange. This evening there've been multiple attacks and the night before we had a series of coordinated train robberies made against the Senkaimon Express. Something's going on."

"Tell me about it. How's Ichigo holding up?"

"He's coping. I just don't know for how long."

_Fort Seireitei_

Aizen stood before the assembly. Arturo and Mordred stood on either side of him and they faced General Yamamoto along with the other Captains. Aizen looked around and saw that Captains Sui-Feng, Amagai, Unohana, Kuchiki, Kyoraku, Zaraki, Hitsugaya, and Ukitake were not present.

"I noticed that some of the Captains are absent," Aizen said.

"They have their own assignments. Captain Sui-Feng is currently searching for the whereabouts of the other Arrancar and should be sending in her report any day now."

_No she won't,_ Aizen thought.

"I sent Captains Unohana, Kuchiki, Kyoraku, and Ukitake to Karakura Town to help Ichigo with the situation there."

"I'm sure that the boy could use all of the help he can get."

"Indeed," Yamamoto said and nodded. "Captain Hitsugaya decided to go as well, but he missed that train and had to go on the next one. He should be arriving in Karakura Town sometime around dawn."

"What made him decide to go then?"

"He said that he would also like to help with the investigation. He was quite persistent about it."

"That's interesting," Aizen said. He suddenly had a desire to burst out laughing. He began to think of making it look as though Hitsugaya was Shadow-Lurker, but the idea of doing that was just too outrageous. No, it was better if he kept with the original plan in that regard.

"As for Captains Zaraki and Amagai, they are, of course, at the border forts Zaraki and Kusajishi."

"Am I to understand that Captain Amagai is currently at Fort Kusajishi?" Aizen asked.

"That is correct. I received a telegram from Captain Zaraki informing me that he has decided to increase the number of border patrols. Captain Amagai has sent a telegram to inform me that he is currently strengthening the fortifications at Fort Kusajishi, but that he needed another three Cero-class canons to replace three that were in too bad of a condition to be useful.

"Now, Captain Aizen, I understand that you caught three Arrancars with the help of the Guardians of the Borderlands. Is that correct?"

"Yes sir, it is. The two gentlemen with me are the main leaders of said group. They helped me willingly."

"Is this correct?"

"It is," Mordred said and bowed.

"Sir, even though we are technically a mercenary group, we also value our homes," Arturo said with a bow. "When we heard that Captain Aizen was out searching for the Espada, we offered him our assistance. We felt a great shame knowing that Arrancar scum marched through the Borderlands to attack Karakura Town four months ago. We wished to regain our honor and our pride. Unfortunately, we only caught three Arrancars who used to be Espada some time ago."

"But it is still a success. The three Privaron Espada were once considered a great threat against the Gensei Provinces."

"Unfortunately, their time of glory has passed," Aizen said. "However, they did lead us to Rudobon's hideout."

"I see," Yamamoto said. "Tell me more."

_Garganta Pass_

The sun was beginning to rise. Starrk sat on the ground and looked down at Karakura Town. He looked around and saw the overlook where he and the other Espada looked down at the town only four months before. He sighed at how much could change in only four months.

"Good, you're already up," Jackie said. "Dwelling on days gone by?"

"You could say that," Starrk said as he got up he looked at her and saw that she was holding his dagger.

"Where did you get this thing anyways?" she asked.

"It was given to me," Starrk said.

"Who gave it to you?"

"Why are you so curious about that?"

"I just am. It's an unusual dagger and I was curious."

"I'll tell you where I got that dagger if you tell me why you don't clean your boots."

"Touché," Jackie said and smiled. "I guess you could say I don't clean my boots because the dirt on them is from all of the places that I've traveled and I want to keep those places with me in some way."

"You collect dirt the way that other people collect coins or rocks," Starrk said.

"That's right. It's your turn."

"Well, Bel and Lily already know the story, but they're close to me. However, I did make a promise."

"That's right."

"I got it from a Shaman from the Valley of Five Rivers. He told me that the dagger was meant for someone who had the Spirit of Okami in him. You probably think that's odd."

"No, I don't. I know the legends of the Valley of Five Rivers. I spent some time there and that's where I got these babies," she said and patted her boots. "I needed to get a new pair and I just saw them and bought them from an old woman."

"Ah you must have seen the Shaman's wife then," Starrk said. "Did she tell you anything about them?"

"Yeah," Jackie said. "She told me that the dirtier they got, the more faithful they would be to me. So far, they haven't worn out and I haven't tripped over anything in them, and that last is a miracle in itself."

"Then she was right," Starrk said.

"Whatever, go on with your story."

"So, you already know what the Spirit of Okami is."

"Of course, it's their term for someone who is strong and yet gentle. Those who have the Spirit of Okami often have the same dream, but I never found out what it is."

"It's the dream of a wolf, a wolf's cub, and a doe walking in the desert under a crescent moon. Those who would become his companions will have the same dream and the three will form the center of a group that will gather to help fight against those who would try to destroy those who do the right thing."

"I see," Jackie said. "The wood carving…"

Starrk turned on her and a she thought she saw a flash of gold in his eyes.

"Those were private. You had no right to go through their Treasures without their permission," he snarled.

"Relax, the woman, Harribel, showed me last night. I know a girl's Treasure Box when I see it, and I saw that you have one too. Don't worry. I didn't go through any of them and I gave strict orders to Riruka not to go through them. I allowed Harribel and the girl to keep them and I'll allow you to keep yours."

"I…I'm sorry," Starrk said and his gaze softened. "I jumped to conclusions."

"You're just protective of them," Jackie said. "So, the girl, Lilynette, right?"

"That's right."

"I take it that she's the wolf cub and Harribel's the doe."

Starrk only nodded his head.

"Well, you two are up early," Riruka said. "I guess that means that I should wake the others."

"Let them sleep for now," Jackie said.

"Huh? But why?"

"Because I said so," Jackie said.

"Whatever," Riruka said.

"What's her problem?" Starrk asked watching as Riruka walked away from them.

"She's always like that," Jackie said and rolled her eyes. "She's like a little sister. She can be a real pain in the ass and yet you still love her and want to protect her. I guess that's why I volunteered to go with her."

"I know what you mean," Starrk said as he looked over to Lilynette and smiled.

_Las Noches_

"Pack up, we're leaving," Baraggan shouted.

Grimmjow woke at his voice and stood up. He saw that the horizon was taking on the painted hues of sunrise. He didn't expect that they would be moving so soon and he never got a chance to find out the information he wanted about how many of the Gotei soldiers stationed in the Borderlands were addicted to Brujería and Amor. He needed to find some way to tell Nel about this.

"Sir," Di Roy said as he came rushing towards him.

"I know Di Roy," Grimmjow said. "I heard him. Are the others awake?"

"Shawlong and Edorad are," Di Roy said.

"Good; have them wake the others and tell them that I want to hold a small meeting before we move out with the others. But I want them already packed."

"Yes sir," Di Roy said and he rushed off.

Grimmjow turned and rushed to where he and Nel met the night before. He took out the small notebook and pencil that he kept with him for whenever he needed to take notes, which wasn't often. He wrote a quick message and then tucked it under one of the stones, making sure that a corner stuck out. When that was done, he rushed back to where he was in time to see Shawlong making his way to their usual meeting spot.

"You're already packed?" Grimmjow asked, grinning.

"You know me," Shawlong said. "I always like to be prepared to move."

"I guess that'll never change."

When he saw that the other Panteras were coming towards him, Grimmjow stood up. All of the others gathered around him.

"So, what's up?" Nakeem asked.

"Yeah, what's the plan?" Edorad asked.

"Do you trust me?" Grimmjow asked them.

"What do you mean? Of course we trust you," Yylfordt said.

"Then there's something I need to tell you," Grimmjow said. "Do you believe what Aizen said about Starrk, Ulquiorra, and Harribel?"

"What are you saying?" Shawlong asked.

"First, I want to know what you think about what Aizen said about them."

"It's bullshit," Di Roy said. "What reason would they have to betray us?"

"That's right," Edorad said. "The only reason why some of the others believe it is because of Zommari and Zommari believes anything that Aizen tells him."

"I agree," Shawlong said. "Yammy is too moronic to think for himself. Aaroniero doesn't really care either way. Nnoitora only cares about fighting the Gotei."

"Then why does Baraggan believe it?" Nakeem asked.

"Because," Yylfordt said. "Baraggan wasn't the Primera the last time and he considers himself above everybody else."

"Baraggan's stuck in believing that he's living his golden days when he was the most feared Arrancar in the Hueco Mundo Wastes," Grimmjow said. "But those days died when Rudobon began his campaign and they became even more dead when Starrk was doing his little raids in the Borderlands."

"What's this about anyways, Grimmjow?" Shawlong asked.

"I'm glad to know that you don't buy what Aizen said. The reason I wanted to talk to you is because I need to confess something. I'm keeping Ulquiorra informed and he's keeping Starrk and Harribel informed as well."

"Why didn't you tell us this sooner?" Edorad asked.

"I promised Ulquiorra that I wouldn't. But things are coming to a collision course and when the time comes, I need to know if you'll stand with me against Aizen," Grimmjow said. "What better way, than by stabbing him in the back?"

"It's risky," Shawlong said.

"I know, but I need to know. Will you stand with me?"

"We made a promise, didn't we?" Di Roy asked.

"Yeah, we promised to stand with you," Nakeem said.

"Even if we died because of it," Edorad said.

"And a Pantera never breaks his word," Yylfordt said.

"So, what's the plan?" Shawlong asked.

"We ride with them, but when the time comes, we turn against the others. They will not expect it."

_Junrinan_

Jidanbo looked over to the soldier who was standing two soldiers down from him. They were in line for morning roll-call and Colonel Kagine was doing inspections. However, while all of the other soldiers were lined-up and standing straight, this soldier was quivering and twitching. Jidanbo thought that he might have some kind of medical problem.

"Justin Carroway," Kagine said.

"Present."

"Richard Carson."

"Present."

"Raymond Carson."

"Present."

"Daniel Carter."

Silence.

"Daniel Carter."

Then Jidanbo watched as the soldier, collapsed.

"DAN!" one of the others cried out and got out of line.

"You, get back in line," Kagine said.

"It's my brother, sir. He collapsed."

"Who are you?"

"I'm George Carter."

"Then I guess this lazy sack of shit must be…holy shit," Kagine moaned when he saw the boy on the ground twitching. "Akemi, Sachiko," he shouted to two of the other soldiers.

Jidanbo looked and saw the Amaterasu sisters running towards the convulsing soldier.

"Yes sir," Sachiko said.

"I need you to take him to the Squad 4 Clinic IMMEDIATELY!"

"Yes sir," the sisters replied and picked up the soldier. As they did, a glass vial fell from his pant legs. Kagine saw it and picked it up before George had a chance to grab it. Kagine looked at it and his eyes narrowed.

"What is this?" he asked George.

"It's…it's a glass bottle, sir," George said.

"I can see that. I'm asking what was in it."

"N-n-nothing, sir."

"I highly doubt that. Now, tell me the truth or I'll have you flogged."

"Please…please sir, I…I don't want my brother…"

"He's already in deep shit," Kagine said. "However, if you tell me what was in this, then it may help him survive. Now, if you don't want your brother to die…TELL ME WHAT HE WAS ON!"

"Brujería, sir," George said.

"Fuck," Kagine muttered, "another one. You two were recently sent here, right?"

"Yes sir."

"Where were you stationed?"

"Fort Kusajishi, sir," George said, his voice quavered.

"How many there did you see with these vials, son?"

"About…about two-thirds of those stationed there, sir."

"I see. Then I'll have to get word to whatever commanding officer is stationed there and inform him of this. And he better not be using."

Jidanbo looked at George and saw that some of the other recruits were giving him hard stares for some reason. Then he noticed that most of them were shivering slightly and others had glazed-over expressions. He had a bad feeling that quite a few more empty glass vials would start to show up.

_Fort Kusajishi_

While not as intimidating-looking as Fort Zaraki, Fort Kusajishi still looked strong. Its wooden walls were surrounded on the outside by a low level of stone that rose about four feet. At various intervals, a hole was carved out of the wood and the barrel of a Bala-class shooter faced out.

Inside, at the rear of the fort that was built on top of a steeply-angled incline, a dirt ramp and mound was made and held in place with stone. At the top of these mounds, a Cero-class canon was aimed at the Wastes beyond.

Captain Shusuke Amagai stood on top of one of these inclines with his Lieutenant, Makoto Kibune. He looked at the telegram that Kibune gave him and nodded.

"Send another telegram informing Colonel Kagine that I will look into the matter."

"Yes sir," Kibune said and gave a salute before marching away.

Amagai looked at some of the men and saw that they were exhibiting the same symptoms that Kagine mentioned in his telegram. The Squad 4 members were rushing around in a desperate attempt to find a cause. He already saw that over a half of the men stationed at Fort Kusajishi were already going through withdrawal.

_Fort Zaraki_

"HELL YEAH!" Kenpachi screamed and howled with laughter as he saw the telegram.

"What is it, Kenny?" Yachiru asked.

"It looks like we're in luck. We might actually get to do some fighting," Kenpachi said and showed the telegram to his Lieutenant.

"Ooh, Rudobon," she said and grinned. "So he's hiding out in the Precipice Mountains?"

"That's what it says. God damn I wanted to face El General de los Huesos for quite some time. Now here's my chance."

"YAY!" Yachiru shouted. "When do we leave?"

"Right away," Kenpachi said and grinned. "I'll let Ikkaku and Yumichika come with me."

"Yeah, Cue-Ball and Eye-Brows have been kinda down since they got beat up in Kagamino. This should cheer them up. But, who are we gonna leave in charge?"

"Huh…I never thought about that," Kenpachi said. "Fuck it; let's just give Maki-Maki the charge."

"Sounds like a great idea, Kenny," Yachiru said and smiled.

"I know. Ain't I smart?"

_United Hogyoku Bank Headquarters_

"Are your men in place?" Gin asked on the phone.

He tapped his finger on the map of the Garganta line. His icy blue eyes were opened into narrow slits and his usual smile was gone. Then his smile returned.

"Good. Make sure that you have your men ready at the twenty-mile north-bound marker. The train should be there at around 11:45 PM. Make sure that there are plenty of carts ready to take away the gold and then head to the agreed meeting spot."

Gin stopped and listened to the person on the other end.

"I know, but by then it won't matter. Kaname's already in his position. Tsukishima is ready. Hell, I'm ready on my end. Everyone is where they need to be and the moves are already being made."

The person on the other end said something and Gin laughed.

"Yes yes, but don't worry. Things will be taken care of. Oh, and Tsukishima already moved the Kage no Tanken…I know it was a bit premature, but it did help us get rid of some potential problems."

Gin brought out the report that Hanza Nukui gave him and looked at it.

"They got Kisuke Urahara out of the way. Unfortunately, Yoruichi escaped but that's alright since she won't leave Kisuke until he recovers. Ryuken has also been taken care of, even though he survived. A bite from a Death's Head Viper takes some time to recover from after all and the last moves are only a couple of days away.

"Well, as for those two…I'm leaving that up to Tsukishima. He already has put his plans in motion and I like where it's heading. It could take care of any number of potential problems."

Gin paused as Aizen asked him a question.

"Aizen, he will go through with his part. The question is: what should we do about him?"

Gin listened as Aizen explained and nodded.

"I see and what about…?"

Aizen said something and Gin nodded.

"I understand. I hope that things will go well on your end as well. Bye," he said and hung up the phone.

_Sheriff's Office_

"You know that I have quite a few questions for you," Ichigo said as he looked at the six prisoners that Jackie and Riruka brought in.

"We'll answer them," Harribel said.

"You will?" Renji asked, his tone said that he didn't believe them.

"Damn right we will," Apacci said.

"Yeah, why do you think we came here in the first place?" Mila Rose asked.

"You could have surrendered to Yumichika, Ikkaku, and Maki-Maki at Kagamino," Renji said.

"We could have, but they weren't the ones we wanted to speak to," Sung-Sun said. "Harribel told us that the only one to talk to would be Ichigo Kurosaki."

"It's true, and when I talked to Starrk about it, he agreed," Harribel said.

"Why would you need to talk to me?" Ichigo asked.

"It's because you're friends with Orihime," Lilynette said. "She told us quite a bit about you."

"When did she talk about me?" Ichigo asked his tone icy. "Did she talk about me while you monsters kept her prisoner?"

"Who are you calling a monster, Berry-Boy?" Apacci asked.

"You watch it," Renji said and shoved a finger in her face.

"Get…that…fucking finger…OUT OF MY FACE, PINEAPPLE HEAD!"

"Great, he's being an idiot again," Rukia said and hit Renji on the head with a curled fist.

"Damn it, Rukia. Why'd you do that?"

"Because you're being a complete idiot," she said. "And you, Ichigo, are no better. They're not monsters out of some fairy-tale." She turned her attention back to the six Arrancars. "So, when did Orihime Inoue discuss her friendship with Ichigo? Was it when she was held prisoner?"

"No," Starrk said. "At least, as far as I know. Ulquiorra would know more about her time as a prisoner with us. No, it was when she and Captain Unohana helped to heal Harribel and Ulquiorra."

Renji and Rukia looked at each other and then at Ichigo. The shock on Ichigo's face could not have been plainer. He stood up and looked at Starrk.

"You're lying," he said.

"I'm not. While Harribel and Ulquiorra were recovering, she told us about you and her other friends. We figured that if ever Shadow-Lurker tried anything against Karakura Town again, then we would repay our debt to her by helping you in any way we could as well as get some payback for ourselves."

"You know who Shadow-Lurker is," Ichigo said.

"We do."

"Who is it?"

"Let me ask you something, Ichigo Kurosaki. Have you ever wondered why those three just happened to stumble across a gunfight and decide to jump in? Have you ever wondered how they picked that exact moment to help drive the Espada away from Karakura Town?"

"What are you talking about?" Renji asked.

"You may not want to hear it, but you must. The future of the Gensei Provinces depends on what you do here and now. Ichigo, Souske Aizen is the Shadow-Lurker."

Silence fell upon all in the room. Ichigo felt as though he was lying on an anvil and had just been dealt a blow with a large and heavy hammer. He felt as though his legs were about to give out from beneath him.

"You're lying," Renji whispered, not really hearing what he said.

"That's…that's impossible," Rukia gasped.

"Yet it's the truth," Starrk said. "You have six witnesses who can verify it. Ichigo, if you truly love this town, then contact Fort Seireitei immediately. Tell them that they need to arrest Aizen immediately and anyone who came with him. If you don't then everything that you love and hold dear and swore to protect will be turned to ashes."

"I…"Ichigo muttered, trying to process the information. "I've heard nothing more than the snarling of an Arrancar dog."

Rukia and Renji looked at each other and then at the six Arrancars. They looked devastated, but Starrk kept his gaze on Ichigo. His eyes were full of sorrow.

"So, you still view us as nothing more than animals. In that case, let me talk with Kisuke Urahara or Yoruichi Shihoin."

"Unfortunately, Arrancar," Renji said, snarling, "Kisuke's in the clinic recovering from injuries he sustained last night along with Ryuken Ishida and Davis Murphy and Yoruichi is in no condition to help."

"Wait, Davis was hurt?" Harribel asked.

"Why should you care about that?" Renji asked. "Why should a monster care about what happens to a human?"

"What did we ever do to you?" Starrk asked his voice filled with sorrow.

"YOU ALMOST KILLED RUKIA!" Renji shouted. "You kidnapped Orihime, and when we went to rescue her, one of the Espada almost killed Rukia! Another almost killed me! If that's not reason enough for me not to trust you, then I don't know what is."

"So, you love her," Starrk said and pointed at Rukia.

"I…I…uh…" Renji was taken aback and he looked at Rukia who was blushing and couldn't meet his gaze.

"I was not the one who tried to kill her," Starrk said. "So, I ask again. What did we do to deserve this?"

"YOU ATTACKED US!" Ichigo yelled and brought out his revolver. He aimed it at Starrk, but Starrk never blinked or looked away.

"STARRK!" Lilynette cried out.

"Ichigo, what are you doing?" Rukia asked.

"SHOOT HIM!" Renji shouted. "SHOOT THE BASTARD!"

"If you do this, you can never take it back," Starrk said. "If you shoot me, you would be no different than how you see us."

"You're all a bunch of mad dogs," Ichigo said. "When you see a mad dog in the street, you shoot it dead before it bites you. All Arrancars are nothing more than a bunch of mad dogs."

"I'm warning you," Starrk said. "If you even think about hurting those I love, then I will rip your throat out before you have the chance of pulling the trigger. If either of your deputies dares to harm either Lilynette or Harribel or Sung-Sun or Apacci or Mila Rose, I will send the wolves on them and you, Ichigo Kurosaki. But, if you direct your anger only towards me, then I will not stop you if it means that they have a chance. Because unlike you, I'm not a mad dog," Starrk said and seemed to tower over all of them.

"I am a Wolf. And a Wolf will do whatever it has to do in order to protect the pack.

"What are you, Ichigo Kurosaki? You're nothing more than a little dog trying to scare a greater beast with its barking and baring its fangs. What is such a thing compared to the Wolf?"

Ichigo felt himself go weak as he saw that Starrk's blue-grey eyes were now gold. Those golden eyes were filled with a fire and a passion that Ichigo never faced before. Renji and Rukia were already on the floor, backing towards the wall.

"You…you will stay silent," Ichigo muttered, all courage gone from him. "You…you're my prisoner."

"Then put the gun down or you will feel my fangs."

Ichigo's hand loosened and the revolver dropped to the floor with a heavy thud. Starrk nodded and sat down in the chair across from Ichigo.

"If you are willing to listen, then hear what I have to say. Aizen is Shadow-Lurker and he wants to destroy the Gensei Provinces. I know that Kaname Tosen and Gin Ichimaru are involved. It's likely that there's a fourth conspirator, but we don't know who it is. However, we believe that it's someone inside the Pinkerton Agency since they have some authority over all of the Privatized Squads, except for the Visored Squad and the Xcution Squad. You need to pass this information along to Fort Seireitei and directly to General Yamamoto or Captains Unohana, Ukitake, or Kyoraku. If you have to use the telephone go right ahead.

"However, if you refuse, then know that whatever blood is spilt will be partially your fault. You will have to live with the regret and the shame for the rest of your life. I know what it feels like to have a life that you took hang above you because you did nothing. That's a burden that you can never get rid of.

"So, what's it going to be, Ichigo Kurosaki?" Starrk asked and pushed the phone towards him.

"I…" Ichigo said and swallowed. So many thoughts were racing through his head.

He thought of Orihime telling him that she thought that Shadow-Lurker had infiltrated the Gotei and what Starrk said only confirmed it. He thought about how Rukia mentioned that the reason why these Arrancars made sure that he knew that they were coming was because they had something important they needed to tell him. Those thoughts caused him to reach for the phone on his desk that had only been installed that morning.

Then other images flashed into his mind. He saw Orihime's bruised face as she cowered in the corner of a cell. He saw many of the Gotei soldiers who were sent to protect Karakura Town being shot down. He saw Uryu fall from the balcony where he hid to try to shoot Ulquiorra. He saw his father among the wounded, a piece of shrapnel from an explosive caught in his shoulder. He saw the looks of glee and bloodlust on the Espada as they rushed towards Karakura Town.

He picked up the phone and he looked at Starrk and thought about what he said. Orihime's face came into his mind and he knew what to do. He concentrated on the numbers that he had been given when the phone was first installed only last night on how to reach General Yamamoto's main number.

_Las Noches_

"They're gone," Pesche said as he returned to the spot that was agreed to be the meeting spot.

"Where did they go, don'tcha know?" Dondochakka asked.

Nel didn't say anything. Instead she unsheathed her rapier and looked at its long, thin blade. She looked at the medallion that she had embedded into the hand guard. It had a centaur with an arrow piercing its chest with an inscription running along the edge.

"Toda Lucha tiene un Propósito," she said.

"The motto of the Gamuza Clan," Pesche said.

"Yes," Nel said and looked down.

Her eyes narrowed as she saw something white sticking out from under one of the nearby stones. She rushed towards it and bent to pick up whatever it was. When she lifted the rock, she speared the piece of paper with the rapier before it could be blown away by the wind.

"What is it?" Pesche asked.

Nel took the piece off her rapier's blade and read the slightly blurred message.

NEL

ON MOVE KARAKURA TOWN

ALL MY LUV

GRIMM

"Grimm," she whispered and kissed the piece of paper where it said "ALL MY LUV".

"What do we do now?"

"We follow them," Nel said. "Remember the Gamuza Clan motto?"

"Of course we do, don'tcha know," Dondochakka said.

"Toda Lucha tiene un Propósito," Pesche said and smiled.

"That's right," Nel said and turned to face east. "All suffering has purpose."

_Fort Seireitei_

Yamamoto was sitting at his desk when the phone rang. He picked it up and looked at Aizen who was sitting across from him.

"You can stay seated, Aizen, this shouldn't take long."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. I've been expecting to hear from Ichigo Kurosaki at some point.

"Hello, this is General Yamamoto of the Gotei speaking."

Aizen leaned forward. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he made sure that his face didn't show any signs of fear. Instead, he took off his glasses and polished them with his handkerchief.

"Ah, I've been expecting to hear from you, Sheriff Kurosaki. So, are they under your supervision?"

_Senkaimon Express from Fort Seireitei to Karakura Town_

"Captain, I just found out why the train's stopped," Rangiku said.

"Tell me," Hitsugaya said.

"The train that left before us was ambushed. They found no survivors."

"WHAT?" Hitsugaya shouted and leapt to his feet. "What about the Gotei officers who were on board."

"It seems as though there's a chance they might still be alive. They didn't find any signs of either the Captains or their Lieutenants. They're calling it in right now."

"Rangiku, we need to get going. Have the trainmen get our horses off. We'll ride to Karakura Town from here. If they make any fuss, tell them that Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya commands them to do so in the name of the Gotei and the Gensei Provinces."

"Yes sir," Rangiku said and rushed out.

"What the Hell happened?" Hitsugaya asked as he gathered his bag. "Where are the four Captains?"

_Karakura Town_

"It's about time we made it," Kyoraku said.

"Indeed," Byakuya said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must arrange for some things at the hotel."

"Don't ya want to say 'hi' to your sister, first?" Kyoraku asked.

"I would rather not at this time," Byakuya said. "I do not wish to right now."

"He's not very considerate for her," Ukitake said as they watched Byakuya ride off.

"He doesn't understand what he could possibly put her through," Unohana said. "At any rate, we can tell them about what happened later. Right now, we need to tell them to believe whatever Starrk and the others tell them before it's too late."

"I just hope we aren't too late," Kyoraku said and they rode their horses as quickly as they could to the Sheriff's Office.

Unohana looked at the sun as they rode.

"Almost High Noon," she muttered. "Even with us, High Noon is the time of No Turning Back."

_Outside Karakura Town_

Ulquiorra Schiffer watched from the top of the cliff as the sun was reaching its zenith. He knew that he would wait until sunset before he went down there himself to talk with Orihime. He hoped that Starrk and the others were safe with Ichigo and that Ichigo would believe them. He knew that if Ichigo didn't believe them…

"I must not think that," he told himself. "They cannot afford to fail."

He looked at the sun.

"The time of No Turning Back is upon us."

_The Border between the Hueco Mundo Wastes and the Borderlands_

Sui-Feng felt Ggio look at her. She turned and saw him quickly turn aside. She didn't want to admit that she found herself drawn to him.

"HALT!" Baraggan roared from ahead.

She turned to look at his back and if looks could kill, Baraggan would have been dead five hundred times over with that single glare. He rode at the head of the Arrancar army that stretched for roughly 200 feet behind him, not including the wagons that were being led by the one with a Bala-class shooter that Wonderweiss was driving.

She watched as the other Espada rode up to join Baraggan. She wondered what they were discussing.

"They want to stop until the sun reaches High Noon," Ggio whispered to her.

"What for?" Sui-Feng asked.

"You obviously don't know much about Arrancars. Whenever we reach a point where there's no turning back, we always wait for either High Noon or the Moon's Zenith to show our decision."

Sui-Feng gasped in surprise. For the Gotei, those two times were also called the Time of No Turning Back. She heard hooves approached and turned. She saw that the fraccion for the other Espada were now lined up.

She saw Baraggan raise a hand and then brought it down.

"THE TIME OF NO TURNING BACK IS NOW!" Baraggan roared.

The Arrancar Army that Aizen assembled and put Baraggan in charge of crossed that invisible line that marked the border of the Hueco Mundo Wastes. Sui-Feng was surprised that none of them were cheering. Instead they marched in silence as though it was a solemn occasion.

"Why are they so silent?" she asked.

"Because," Ggio said. "This is the Time of No Turning Back. Only Mercenaries shout for joy on such occasions, but we don't. Such times…such times are meant to be solemn and not taken lightly."

"Because they are hard decisions?" Sui-Feng asked.

Ggio only nodded and Sui-Feng now understood that she was now as much a part of this as they were. There was no turning back for any of them.

For the first time in four months, an invading force crossed into the Borderlands.

_Sheriff's Office_

"Yes sir, they are under my custody," Ichigo said.

_Make the right decision,_ Starrk thought. _Tell him what we told you._

"Did they say anything of importance?" Ichigo asked and looked at Starrk.

This was it, the moment of decision.

"There's no turning back," Starrk whispered as he glanced outside and saw that the sun's light was exactly High Noon.

Ichigo looked at Starrk and smiled.

"No sir, they didn't say anything important at all."

"There's no turning back," Starrk whispered again as he closed his eyes.

_We'll stand alone,_ he thought. _There's no turning back._

**End of Chapter 7**

**A.N.: I'm sorry that it took me this long to write this chapter. It was originally supposed to be completely different, but then I decided to save for what I had originally for later. Instead, I decided it best to change the original order that I had events mapped out a bit. I'm not gonna tell you what it was originally supposed to be since that would ruin a future chapter. The next chapter will be a flashback chapter. Oh, and Carolyn is based off the Nameless Arrancar in the Karakureizer filler episodes.**

**Anyways, thank you for reading and please review.**


	8. Chapter 8: Pride on the Blade

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 8: Pride on the Blade**

_The Hueco Mundo Wastes, Six Years Before_

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!" the young man cried out as he was thrown backwards.

The stick he was using to practice with flew out of his hands and landed in the sand. The man he was practicing with walked towards him and pointed his own stick down at him.

"You're dead," the other man said.

"No I'm not."

"Oh how are you not dead? I have the weapon and you don't."

"I can still do…THIS!" he shouted and flung a handful of sand at him and charged.

However the man dodged and the youth felt the stick scrape across his back.

"There, now you are dead, Grimmjow," the man said.

"SHIIIIIIIIT!" Grimmjow cried out.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," the man said, "everyone 'dies' during their first attempt against someone like me."

"Not me," Grimmjow snarled.

"Yes…you," the man said as he retrieved his skull mask from the rough wooden bench. "I just showed you that you could be killed. Now, I want you to reflect on what you did wrong."

"What do you mean? I did everything that the instructors showed us."

"Not quite," the man said and got up.

"Then show it to me. What did I do wrong?"

"You were too eager. You attacked without looking for any openings and I gave you plenty. Now come on, before I tan your hide."

"Yes sir," Grimmjow said and followed his instructor.

As they walked, Grimmjow looked at the other recruits who were training. Already fifteen of those who came with him were gone. Some died in accidents while others were sent away and now there were only eleven others from the group he arrived with. He had no idea how difficult the training would be, but he viewed it as an opportunity to better himself. However, today he would find out if he made it or not.

He looked at the tall gallows and saw the bell that usually tolled for Assembly. It was badly dented from years of abuse and the elements had caused it to lose its once brilliant luster. He saw a steward rush onto the platform and began pulling the fraying rope that was tied to the clapper and began to swing it. The sound was like an old army commander, dull and yet it still held its voice of command.

Immediately, the others began to gather at the old arena that served as their Assembly Hall.

"All possible recruits are to head to the floor of the arena ," someone shouted from one of the makeshift platforms.

"Come along," Grimmjow's trainer said and led him down the steps. "I must get to my position with the other officers," he said and rushed to the center where the other officers were beginning to gather.

Grimmjow looked in awe at the men who stood in the center. They were men he only heard about in stories and one of them was training him to become a better fighter. He stopped when he saw the man in the middle. It was the man he adored above all others and who he wanted to follow. He looked at his hero in reverence and knew that he would either be permitted to join or he would die of a broken heart.

"Recruits, line up," his hero commanded.

The recruits immediately obeyed and his hero nodded in satisfaction. The officers then approached him and whispered to him. The hero would either nod or frown and say something in return. Grimmjow saw his own instructor talk with his hero, but he could not make out any reactions. Then the second-in-command stepped forward.

"If I call your name, please step forward," he began and called out some of the names of the other recruits.

Grimmjow knew that this was it. He would either join or he would be sent away and survive in the Hueco Mundo Wastes on his own. The second-in-command paused as Grimmjow's hero whispered something into his ear. The second-in-command nodded.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez." Grimmjow stepped forward. "Those of you who haven't been called are to leave immediately. Those who have been named line up again and await your final examination."

They lined up. The second-in-command looked towards his commander who nodded.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, please step forward."

Grimmjow stepped forward. He could feel the sweat running down his brow as his hero approached him. Grimmjow forced himself to look into those black eyes and he knew that he must never look away.

"You've got spirit," his hero said. "Yes, it's there, but it's still raw and unrefined. You'll serve under my command. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir," Grimmjow said.

"I see that Skullak Tuma, my third-in-command, has trained you well. Alejo, make sure that our new recruit gets a proper uniform and a proper welcome."

"Yes, El General," Alejo said.

"Hear me now, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. I Rudobon, El General de los Huesos, welcome you to the Exequias Army."

_Dagger Creek, Five Years Before_

Gunshots rang out through the once-peaceful grassland. The Desatoya Mountains seemed to loom above the killing ground like watchful spectators.

Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez ducked behind one of the boulders that lined the gently flowing creek whose waters were now becoming like wine with the blood of the dead. Rudobon ducked behind a tree and gestured with his revolver for the other Exequias to move forward. Grimmjow looked around the boulder and saw the white and light blue uniforms of the Quincy Squad among the large outcropping of boulders across the creek.

"Those bastards think they got us pinned down," Alejo said as he joined Grimmjow and smiled at him.

"Well, we're pinned down," Grimmjow said.

"I know, but Rudobon knows what he's doing."

"I know he does, but I don't see it."

"Just watch," Alejo said and gestured for Grimmjow to look at Rudobon.

"Wait a minute, where's Skullak?" Grimmjow asked.

"Who do you think he's waving to?"

Grimmjow looked at Alejo as though he went mad. At that moment there was a cry coming from further to the left. Grimmjow looked and saw Skullak rushing at the large outcropping with his division of Exequias. The Quincy Squad was caught off guard and they quickly turned to the left to try to pin that group down.

"Now," Alejo said as Rudobon gestured for the Exequias to advance. "But be silent about it until we get on the other side of the creek."

Grimmjow nodded and saw that Rudobon had maneuvered his small force to form a pincer maneuver. It helped that they were able to get the Quincy Squad to retreat to the outcropping of rocks, but the odds were still in the Quincy favor as far as numbers. As soon as Rudobon crossed the creek, he drew out his sword and rushed at the outcroppings.

"NOW!" Rudobon roared and the Exequias behind him roared in triumph as they attacked.

Grimmjow laughed as he saw the Quincy soldiers try to maneuver back to pin down Rudobon's force. They thought that Skullak had the larger force since he and his men went all out in yelling out their attack, but they realized too late that Rudobon had the larger group.

Grimmjow fired his revolver and saw a young soldier who was trying to aim for Rudobon fall dead. The bullets flew around them. Men fell. Blood drenched the stones and dry grass. Grimmjow saw an old man standing among them, shouting out orders. He wondered how such an old man could still maintain his composure, even in the face of certain defeat.

"Surrender old man," Grimmjow growled. "Surrender and you just might live to see another sunset."

However, the old man must have seen what was going on for now he ordered that half of the men who were trying to pin down Skullak to pin down Rudobon. Then, Grimmjow saw what they were doing.

"Shit, he's going to try to flank us," Grimmjow said and laughed. "Yeah, now this is exciting."

Sure enough, with a gesture of his hand, the banner-man waved their white flag with the blue Quincy cross. Almost immediately, a force that had been kept in reserve for the Quincy rushed out of the canyon and straight for Rudobon's flank.

"Shit, they kept reserves," Grimmjow growled.

"Just keep steady," Alejo said as he took aim and fired. Grimmjow turned his attention to the reserves and fired as well.

"If we keep this up, we'll end up in the crossfire," Grimmjow growled.

"Did you forget something?" Alejo asked with a grin as he adjusted the skull helmet he wore.

"What are you talking about?"

"Skullak," Alejo said. "He knows what to do in these situations. I bet that old man thought that the smaller force was not worth the effort for the time being."

Grimmjow turned and did not see Skullak or his men. Then he saw something crawling on the ground. He always wondered why the Exequias wore dust-covered uniforms and skull helmets. Now he saw why, they could be used as camouflage on dry dusty surfaces and on rocky ground.

"Pay attention," Alejo said and pulled Grimmjow down as a bullet whizzed past where his head had been. "Do you want to get killed?"

"Not really," Grimmjow said.

"Then pay attention," Alejo said and fired his revolver at the rock outcropping. "Make sure that you don't waste ammo. Make them think that you're nearly out."

Grimmjow nodded to show that he understood. Then he heard gunfire coming from the rock outcropping. The old man straightened and turned. His face betrayed surprise and shock as he saw Skullak's forces climb among the rocks and shooting his men.

"NOW!" Rudobon shouted. "Three-fourths to their reserve and one-fourth to the keep."

"Come on, we're attacking the keep," Alejo said and dragged Grimmjow with him towards the rock outcropping.

Forces clashed. Grimmjow saw many drop their guns and begin to fight with knives and bayonets and even their fists. This was no longer a battle. It was a brawl, and he loved it. Grimmjow reached into his pocket and brought out the makeshift fist-punch he made out of a piece of wood with nails driven through with distance enough between them to accommodate his fingers.

Grimmjow re-holstered his revolver and leapt up wielding this makeshift weapon. He was always one who preferred to use his fists in hand-to-hand combat and he was using his training to his advantage.

The fight did not last much longer. Skullak divided his forces to block any retreat that the Quincy Squad might attempt and eventually all of the Quincy soldiers were dead except for a few at the top of the rock outcropping who were fighting with their sabers. The old man still held his ground even as the younger men fell around him. Eventually there were only two figures at the top: the old man and Rudobon who was fighting him with the Blade of Hueco Mundo. The bone hilt with its cords of leather and rings of metal seemed to glow with a fierce light while the blade itself seemed to vanish in the bright glow that it reflected.

Grimmjow rushed forward just as Rudobon slashed the old man across the chest. The old man staggered and fell to his knees. Grimmjow looked at the old man in awe.

"What's your name?" Rudobon asked.

"I am Captain Soken Ishida, High-Commander of the Quincy Squad."

"You fought well, Soken Ishida," Rudobon said. "Do you have any regrets?"

"Everyman has regrets," Soken Ishida said and looked at Rudobon. "I regret that I will not be able to see my Grandson, Uryu Ishida, to grow into a man. I regret that I cannot look him in the eye again and tell him how proud of him I am."

"I see," Rudobon said. "Do you have any last requests?"

"Yes, that if you and my Grandson's paths cross that you give him a message for me."

"Whisper it to me," Rudobon said and knelt beside the old man who whispered something that Grimmjow could not make out. Rudobon nodded and stood up. "We have annihilated the Quincy Squad today. This brave warrior before me has proven worthy enough to die by my hand and with the Blade of Hueco Mundo," he said and held the sword up. The Exequias Army became silent and those who still had their masks and helmet on took them off. "His blood shall not stain the Pride on the Blade. Honor this man as he passes from this life into the next. Let him see your faces so that you may gain the honor of battling him in the afterlife," Rudobon said as he took his own mask and helmet off and put them by his feet.

"Why honor him?" Grimmjow muttered. "He's our enemy."

"He fought with valor and honor," Alejo said as he tucked his helmet under his arm. "Such men deserve honor and praise regardless of what side they are on."

"Say your last words," Rudobon said, "before I give you the honor of dying by the Blade of Hueco Mundo."

"Für den Stolz und die Ehre der Quincy," Soken Ishida said, his voice firm and strong.

Rudobon nodded his head and turned his attention back to his men.

"This man's name is Soken Ishida. Remember it," Rudobon said and ran Soken through with his blade giving him a clean death. "I shall remember it."

_Bosque de Cráneos, Three Years Before_

"You're what?" Grimmjow asked.

"I'm cutting you loose, Grimmjow," Rudobon said as he sat picked up the bottle of warm beer.

"I don't understand," Grimmjow said leaning forward. "Why are you cutting me loose?"

"Grimmjow, do you know what the Exequias Army is?"

"It's the best force in the Hueco Mundo Wastes."

"But what makes it the best?"

"Easy, you strike hard; you strike fast; you strike together."

"Exactly," Rudobon said. "The Exequias Army is the best because their hearts beat to my own heart. We are united in everything. However, I've been watching you and I noticed that you beat to a different heart beat than my own."

"What are you talking about?"

"You were made to lead; not follow. You were meant to become an Espada and not a mere Fraccion."

"Are you fucking joking? What do you mean I was meant to become an Espada?"

"Grimmjow, I've met many people in my life. I even served under Francisco de la Muerte, one of the first Espada. Most of my tactics I learned from him including the most valuable lesson: have someone who's your polar opposite stand beside you. For me, it's Alejo and Skullak. While I was all for attacking regardless of what happened, Alejo was all about patience and taking your time while Skullak was about planning and finding your opponents' weaknesses. I never regretted accommodating their recommendations in my attacks.

"That's why, unlike so many of the Espada who come and go over the years, I have remained as one of the Ten Espada, but now that time is nearing its end."

"What are you talking about?"

"What makes an Espada?"

"Well…I suppose it's being on the Gotei's Top Ten List."

"Wrong," Rudobon said. "If that was the case, then the so-called 'Shadow Lurker' would be considered an Espada. However, people like Shadow Lurker, who never show their face or reveal their name, could never, NEVER be an Espada. An Espada is someone who shows their face and gives their name without fear. Now, there are new gangs running around. Each one wants to make a name for themselves by becoming an Espada.

"That's the thing about the Espada…we're only good for the moment. When our time is done…it's done. Ever since the Battle at Dagger Creek, the Gotei has gotten bolder and now the Exequias Army is being put on the run. Soon, however, we'll be making our own push at the northern border."

"Then let me join," Grimmjow said.

"No," Rudobon said. "You need to use your time to gather your own gang and take what is rightfully yours. You are to take my place among the Espada someday."

"NO! That will never happen," Grimmjow said. "You'll always be an Espada."

"I won't," Rudobon said. "Already, five members of the Espada have been replaced in the Top Ten and they no longer have a gang to follow them. Aaroniero is still feared, but because of the injury he sustained, he is forced to work from the shadows and wear a mask, but he still maintains his pride and he is still feared. Baraggan, the so-called 'King of the Wastes', his Golden Age is over, but he still believes it lives on. As a result, he is able to maintain at least some followers who continue to believe him to be an Espada.

"No, most of the new Espada are those who rose by their own right. Ulquiorra 'Night-Bringer' Schiffer got his title from shooting a high-ranking officer, but he did it in front of his men and he even gave his name. Nnoitora Gilga massacred a Gotei Border Patrol and he raced through the Borderlands shouting it out and offering to duel anyone who dared to come after him. However, there's only one new Espada whom I respect."

"Who is that?"

Rudobon sat down and pulled out one of the make-shift drawers in his desk made from bone-wood. He took out a sheet of paper and looked at it.

"I served with him during my time with Francisco de la Muerte. He was Francisco's right-hand man until Francisco massacred an entire village in the Borderlands and killed all of the men, women, and children. That kind of killing did not sit well with him and so he left. I remember when I first saw him I thought that he could not amount to anything; that he was too soft. I was wrong in my judgment about him. If there's one thing that I regret it's this: I never got a chance to truly ride with him."

Rudobon put the piece of paper on the table and pushed it towards Grimmjow. Grimmjow looked at it and saw a man with shoulder-length hair and a faded goatee.

"Los Lobos," Grimmjow said as he read the name.

"Yes, Los Lobos," Rudobon said and leaned back in his chair. "He's different from other Arrancars and Espada. He never killed unless he was forced to. He was merciful to those who fought against him and the poor and women and children, but God help those who mistreat such people. I saw him get angry with a man who raped the children who were under his care and he sent a pack of wolves out on him."

"Bullshit," Grimmjow said.

"I know how it sounds, but it's what I saw," Rudobon said. "The pack tore that man into pieces and Los Lobos took the time to help the children find new and better homes. When I saw him do acts of kindness, I thought him some kind of saint, but when I saw him send the wolves after that man I thought him some kind of demon.

"At first, Francisco listened to his advice, but then Francisco became even more arrogant. He allowed the title of 'Espada' to go to his head and he continually brushed him aside. That was when Francisco lost his dignity and became nothing more than a butcher. When Los Lobos left, the gang died out. I went my own way only three days before Francisco and the few followers he had made an attempt to invade the Gensei Provinces. They were all shot down like dogs."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"It's important for the role that you're meant to play," Rudobon said and looked at Grimmjow. "When you become a leader, you listen to what those whom you trust tell you. You make the final decision, but you don't make it rashly. Don't surround yourself with a bunch of ass-kissers and cowards for those kinds of men will only get you in trouble. Instead, surround yourself with those who are willing to tell you the Truth, even if you don't want to hear it.

"Also, if you can…if for some reason your path crosses with his," Rudobon said and tapped the picture. "Ride with him."

"I…I understand sir," Grimmjow said and looked at the picture. "What was his true name? The poster doesn't say."

"Of course it doesn't say since when this poster was made he was only known as 'Los Lobos' to those in the Borderlands and Gensei Provinces. It was the nickname that we gave him on account of how he could make wolves do his bidding. His true name is Coyote Starrk."

_The Hueco Mundo Wastes, Three Years Before_

Grimmjow went flying back. The large man stood before him and laughed.

"So, you think that just 'cause you followed Rudobon you can push the rest of us around," the man said as the small cluster of men behind him only watched.

"Bastard," Grimmjow muttered as he got up.

"I got news for ya," the man said. "Rudobon ain't an Espada anymore. He got his ass whooped in the Calaveras Mountains only a few days ago."

"You're lying."

"I ain't," the man said and grinned. "He lost the respect of the Hueco Mundo Wastes after his defeat."

"The Exequias Army…IS NEVER DEFEATED!" Grimmjow roared and launched himself at the man.

The man only stood aside and rolled one large hand into a fist. As Grimmjow flew past him, he brought his fist down on his back. Grimmjow went sprawling onto his belly.

"HA! Looks like you're another fan of the old Espada. You better listen up. The days of Rudobon are over. The days of Shadow Lurker have begun."

"Shadow Lurker…ain't an Espada," Grimmjow growled as he got up. "He's nothing more than a coward who refuses to show his face or give his name. He ain't no Espada."

"You fuckin' piece of shit," the man said. "Shadow Lurker IS an Espada and he's the best one around. He's done more damage against the Gensei Provinces than all of the others combined. Shit, you must be one of those who believe that Starrk's the Primera Espada. HA! Don't make me laugh. Starrk's nothing more than a pussy who refuses to kill and that AIN'T NO ESPADA!"

"Damn you…" Grimmjow growled and faced the man.

He was about to launch himself at him when he heard Skullak's voice come into his head.

_"Keep in mind Grimmjow. You're opponent always has a blind spot. If you can find it, use it to your advantage. It could be anything such as behind or to the sides, but it can also be from rage. If you can, make your opponent stupid with rage, but make sure not to fall into it yourself. Keep calm, but make your opponent angry. Anger makes a man make foolish mistakes that you can use."_

Grimmjow smiled at him.

"So, you think that men like Starrk don't deserve to be called Espada, eh?"

"That's right."

"Tell me something. If that's the case: then why aren't you an Espada?"

"Huh?"

"You heard me. You like to boast about how this is the 'Age of Shadow Lurker', so what does that make you? I bet you like to being Shadow Lurker's bitch. I bet you like to bend over for him and let him fuck you in the ass like the bitch you really are."

"You…piece of shit."

"Tell me something…oh dear, I don't know your name."

"I'm Antonio Petro, the meanest and baddest gang leader in the Hueco Mundo Wastes. Ain't that right?" he asked and turned to his gang who only stood where they were.

"If that's the case, then why aren't you on the List of Espada?"

"Huh?"

"Come on…you can't call yourself the 'meanest and baddest' gang boss around if you ain't on that list. Yet, I see that Starrk's name is on that list. Yet you called him a pussy. I guess that makes you nothing more than a whining li'l bitch sucking dick in some brothel somewhere."

"You…fucking…SON OF A WHORE!" he screamed and launched himself at Grimmjow.

Grimmjow smiled as he drew out his dagger and stepped aside. As the man came running at him, Grimmjow stabbed him in the gut with his dagger. The man stopped and looked at the dagger in his gut.

"You know something," Grimmjow said. "I could handle you calling Starrk a pussy since I've never met him before. But for you to dare to mock Rudobon and the Exequias Army and everything that they did…well that I will not tolerate," he said and yanked the dagger free from the man's gut. "As for pieces of shit like you…" Grimmjow smiled as he slit the man's throat. "Shit like you makes me sick."

He cleaned the dagger's blade on the Antonio's shirt and looked at the man's gang. One of them, a tall, thin man with a stern face stepped forward and looked at the body.

"You wanna join him?"

"We do not," the man said and looked at Grimmjow. "What's your name?"

"I'm Grimmjow."

"I'm Shawlong."

"Nice to meet ya, now if you excuse me…"

"Wait a minute," another said and stepped forward. "We…we want to come with ya."

"What are ya talking about…uh…?"

"Yylfordt Granz," the blonde-haired man said. "My brother is Szayel Aporro Granz, the new 13th Arrancar."

"Huh, so why aren't ya with him?"

"Let's just say that my brother and I have our differences," Yylfordt said.

"Why should I let ya join me?" Grimmjow asked.

"It's 'cause you killed our old boss," the largest of the men said. "I'm Nakeem."

"I'm Edorad," the other man said. "This is my cousin, Di Roy."

"We want to join ya," Di Roy said. "Cause you're strong and you have the possibility of becoming an Espada. We want to follow a man like that."

"Is that so?" Grimmjow asked and looked at them. "Let me ask you a question. What do you think of my hair?"

"What are you, a fucking peacock?" Edorad asked.

"Tch, only an idiot worries about their hair," Di Roy said.

"It could be longer," Yylfordt said. "Long hair is quite fetching."

"What does it matter what your hair looks like?" Shawlong asked. "If you're only going to worry about your hair then maybe you're the wrong person to follow."

Grimmjow smiled.

"I just needed to know if you would be honest with me," Grimmjow said and smiled. "Alright, you may come with me. If you remain honest with me and trust me…I'll help you all achieve the honor of being the Fraccion of an Espada."

_Inuzuri, Two Years Before_

Grimmjow looked at the train station below them. It had only been less than a year since he formed the Pantera Gang, but in that time, they quickly rose to the rank of 12th Arrancar. If he could go up two more spots, then he would officially become an Espada. So far, it looked as though it would happen.

"Grimmjow, I believe that we should pull back," Shawlong said.

"Why should we?"

"I got word that Inuzuri got a new deputy this morning. His name's Ichigo Kurosaki and his father is Isshin Kurosaki, he used to be a high-ranking official in the Gotei before he retired to become Sheriff of Karakura Town."

"Huh, a Kurosaki," Grimmjow said and grinned. Like so many Arrancars, he knew that the Kurosaki family was one of the Gotei's favorite families and as a result each of their children would be sent to Fort Seireitei to be trained by a Captain. "Good, that means he got some Gotei training then."

"Yes sir," Shawlong said. "However, we don't know what kind of training. We should back-off until he leaves."

"That won't be necessary," Grimmjow said. "However, I would like for you and the others to be careful. If one of them has Gotei training, then the others must have some as well."

"What about you?"

"HA! You should know me better than that, Shawlong. It ain't fun unless there's some risk for me. If I get hurt, then you have my permission to say, 'I told you so.'"

"As you wish, sir," Shawlong said.

"Besides, I want to see what this new Kurosaki is worth. Alright, let's get ready. Di Roy, I want you and Nakeem to take care of the overall robbery. Edorad, you and Yylfordt will come in from behind and cover Nakeem and Di Roy. Shawlong, you and I will attack from the front and then when we get closer, I want you to join Edorad and Yylfordt. Do you understand the plan?"

They all nodded in agreement. They went over the plan time and time again. Grimmjow would be the most at risk, but that was how he liked to play. He smiled, if he could pull this off, he knew that the Gotei would have no other choice than to put him in the Top Ten and his gang would become the Fraccion of an Espada.

"All right, let's go!" Grimmjow said.

Grimmjow led the way and the Panteras followed. Grimmjow gestured for the group to split as ordered. While Di Roy and Nakeem raced to the left with Edorad and Yylfordt behind, he and Shawlong broke right.

"You ready for this?" Grimmjow asked.

"As ready as I could ever be," Shawlong said. "I still think this is a bad idea."

"I know you do, but that's what makes it fun."

They drew out their guns and by the time the officials who were overseeing the loading of the train realized what happened, the Panteras struck. Grimmjow and Shawlong made quick work of most of the armed men they saw. He saw Di Roy and Nakeem dismount and climb onto one of the boxcars and began to work on the safe. Edorad and Yylfordt were laying down the covering fire and helping to keep any officials pinned down.

"Alright, which one of you is Ichigo Kurosaki?" Grimmjow growled as he scanned the platform while laying down covering fire.

"I need to reload," Shawlong said.

"Then do it," Grimmjow said and smiled as he saw a boy with orange hair move and he knew that this was Ichigo Kurosaki. "KUROSAKI!" he shouted in triumph.

The boy turned and then dashed to one of the crates labeled Getsuga Tensho. He reached inside and brought something out. Grimmjow laughed as he aimed his revolver at him. That was when the boy turned and threw something with a tail of sparks coming out of the end. Grimmjow did not have time to react when he was blinded by a flash of bright light and pain roared through his body.

"GRIMMJOW!" Shawlong shouted and grabbed what remained of Grimmjow's vest to keep him from falling off.

"BOSS!" Di Roy shouted and began firing into the crowd.

"ABANDON THE JOB!" Shawlong shouted. "RETREAT!"

The Panteras immediately got back to their horses and laid covering fire as Shawlong held onto Grimmjow and Grimmjow's horse and raced to the others. He looked at Grimmjow and saw that a deep gash ran down his chest. Blood poured out of him, but Grimmjow was still alive. Shawlong knew that it could have been a lot worse. If the stick of Getsuga Tensho Explosive had detonated a moment later, than Grimmjow would most likely have been killed.

"Damn it," Shawlong snarled.

"Sh-Shawlong," Grimmjow moaned.

"Take it easy," Shawlong said as they rode off. "You're gonna make it."

"Aren't…aren't ya forgettin'…somethin'?"

"Damn it, Grimmjow," Shawlong said and smiled. "I told you so."

_Los Desamparados, Two Years Before_

They were called the Gamuza Clan and they were about as well-known as Los Lobos and the Blood Star. They had fifteen robberies under their belts and only two murders to their names. That wasn't too bad for being the Third Espada. The price on their head was now $54,000,000.

Nelliel Tu Odelschwank looked at the poster that showed her with her arms around Pesche and Dondochakka and giving them rabbit ears. She thought they picked the right picture for them. Her hand rested on the hilt of the rapier that hung beside her.

"Not bad…not bad at all," she said and scanned the rest of the WANTED posters. "Damn it, Starrk's bounty went up again," she muttered.

"Hey Nel, watchya doin'?" Pesche asked.

"Checking the bounties," Nel said. "Ours went up again, but so did Starrk's and Blood Star's."

"I don't see Shadow Lurker on their, don'tcha know," Dondochakka said.

"That's because he's not an Espada. Huh…look at this…Nnoitora's up to the Eighth spot now."

"Hey…there's a new one," Pesche said and pointed.

"Hmm, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez and the Pantera Gang," Nel whispered. "Huh…he's cute."

"Are ya lookin' at my photo, Nelliel?" someone sneered from behind them.

"Nnoitora," Nel said and closed her eyes. "What do you want?"

"What do ya think I want? I want a rematch."

"Not gonna happen," Nel said.

"What did you say?"

"You heard me. It ain't gonna happen. You'll only lose to me again."

"Oh…is that a fact?" Nnoitora asked as he placed a hand on his rifle, Santa Teresa.

"I'm sure," Nel said and looked at him. "Why do you insist on fighting me?"

"Why do you insist on following me?"

"What makes you think I'm following you?"

"Because, Tesla told me that you stopped by a saloon a while back and asked where you could find me. So…tell me…why are you following me?"

"You're my cousin," Nel said. "Shouldn't I show concern for my own kin?"

"You know damn well that I can take care of myself," Nnoitora growled. "I don't want your pity."

"I never said I pitied you. I said that I'm only concerned for you," Nel said. "You just rush into a fight without thinking of the consequences."

"And look at where that got me," Nnoitora said and pointed to his poster. "I'm…an…ESPADA!"

"I know," Nel said. "Now I have even more reasons to worry about your safety. Face it, Nnoitora. You're outclassed on this list."

"So are you," Nnoitora said.

"I know. That's what makes us different. You would risk your own life just to get to the Primera spot while I know better. I know that I can't possibly compete with Starrk or Harribel. You should back off."

"I won't," Nnoitora said. "You'll see. Someday, I'll show all of ya that I'M THE STRONGEST!" he shouted and rode off.

"What's his problem?" Pesche asked.

"He's being an idiot," Nel said and sighed. "He never did want to know his limits. Damn it, why do I have such an ambitious idiot for a cousin?"

"Is that such a bad thing?" someone asked.

Nel turned and saw a blue-haired man bringing his horse in close to look at the Wanted posters. Nel saw that he wore a sleeveless vest that he kept open to show his well-muscled chest and the scar that ran down it.

"I don't remember asking for your opinion," Nel said.

"I know. But I sometimes can't help myself when I see a pretty girl."

"You…you think I'm pretty?" Nel asked and narrowed her eyes.

"Are you kidding me? Of course I think you're pretty. Only an idiot would think you _not_ pretty."

"Yeah, I get that all the time," Nel said.

"So, who are these two?"

"They're Pesche and Dondochakka," Nel said and looked at the man. "They're my companions."

"Dat's right," Dondochakka said. "Nel's like our li'l sister, don'tcha know."

"Exactly," Pesche said.

"So…how did you meet these two?"

"That's…personal information. And I never give out personal information to people who I don't know."

"Damn, I knew I should have introduced myself. I'm Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez."

"Y-you're Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez?" Nel asked, somewhat taken aback. "You're the new Tenth Espada?"

"Damn right I am," Grimmjow said and looked at the posters. "Good, they even included my Panteras. Huh…I'm surprised that Aaroniero is still on here."

"His price went up about another $500,000 last week after he attacked and killed a Gotei Lieutenant named Kaien Shiba."

"You're dodging," Grimmjow said.

"What are you talking about?"

"I told you my name and then you distracted me from learning your name."

"If I recall, you're the one who mentioned Aaroniero."

"Yeah, but you asked me if I was the new Tenth and that caused me to see if they included my Panteras on the Wanted poster."

"How typical," Nel said and grinned. "If you're going to act like a five year-old, then I might decide not to tell you my name."

"Look, I'm sorry if I offended ya," Grimmjow said. "It's just that…well…I saw you…and…and…oh Hell. Shawlong's right, I'm not any good at this kinda thing."

"Nel," Nel said.

"Huh?"

"My name's Nelliel Tu Odelschwank, but you can call me Nel."

"Nel, are you sure you wanna trust him, don'tcha know?"

"I'm sure Dondochakka."

"Well if you insist," Dondochakka said.

"Would ya like us to leave ya two alone?" Pesche asked.

"That'd be great," Nel said. "C'mon Grimmjow, I know a place where we can get something decent to drink."

_The Hueco Mundo Wastes, Two Years Before_

Grimmjow and Nel rode through the canyon. Their laughter echoed into the night sky. The sound of their horses' hooves seemed to roar like thunder. They were the only two since they left their gangs back at the small ghost town named Stone Creek. It was nice to sneak away from the others every now and again.

It had been less than two months since he met her and already Grimmjow knew that she was the one for him. He decided that tonight would be the night he would ask her.

"I think this is a good spot," Nel said and pulled on her horse's reins.

"Ya think so?" Grimmjow asked.

"Yeah, I mean look at that view," she said.

Grimmjow looked and saw that the canyon ended in a drop, but the view of the basin below them was spectacular. The white sands seemed to shimmer like star dust in the light of the crescent moon. The bleached trees reminded him of his time at Bosque de Cráneos when he was still in the Exequias Army.

"Did I really think that it was all there was?" Grimmjow asked himself.

"What did you say?" Nel asked.

"Nothing," Grimmjow said.

"Liar," Nel said smirking a little as she unrolled a blanket.

"Fine, don't believe me," Grimmjow said.

"Aw, did I hurt your feelings?" Nel asked and Grimmjow could hear the sarcasm in her voice.

"Nah, I was just remembering my time with the Exequias Army," Grimmjow said. "I was younger then and I thought that the Exequias Army was all there was."

"What do you think now?"

"I think I was naïve to think that and now…now I know there's more to life than being with the best and strongest."

"Oh…and what is there?"

"There's _being_ the best and strongest."

"Damn it, now you're sounding like my cousin, Nnoitora. Why do guys think that they all have to be the best and strongest and beat each other up when they're not fucking a gal in their spare time?"

"Are ya finished?"

"Yeah."

"Good, because I wasn't done," Grimmjow said and draped an arm around her shoulder. "Being the best and strongest is not all there is either."

"Oh…did you come to some kind of revelation?"

"I guess," Grimmjow said and looked at her. "You came into my life."

Nel blushed as she looked at him. She then turned her head aside.

"I never told you how Pesche and Dondochakka found me; did I?"

"You didn't."

"It was when I was a kid. We were in the same orphanage and the headmaster…he…he would beat us and he…he…"

"Was he eaten by wolves?" Grimmjow asked remembering something that Rudobon told him.

"No," Nel said. "Why do you ask?"

"It's something that Rudobon told me. He told me about the headmaster of an orphanage who would abuse his wards and got torn to pieces by a pack of wolves."

"There are always people like that," Nel said. "I'm sure that the headmaster at the orphanage I was in wasn't the only one who liked to show off his authority by using abuse, but he wasn't eaten by wolves. Anyways, Pesche and Dondochakka were in the same orphanage and they…they did what they could to protect some of the others and they suffered for it."

"Is that how they got all of those scars?"

"Yeah. They got most of those while trying to protect me since I was so small back then. One evening, a group of us decided to run away. I couldn't begin to tell you how much of a relief it was to get out of that orphanage. We ran. We were free. We were hunted down like wild animals."

"He…he sent a posse after you?"

"He…oh God he was still awake when we ran. I don't know how he found out we were gonna run. He just knew and he…he shot at us. The fucking bastard shot at us," Nel said and cried.

"You don't have to say any more," Grimmjow said. "If it's too painful…you don't have to say anymore."

"I do," Nel said and she snapped her head up to look at him. Grimmjow backed away a little when he saw the fire that came into her eyes. "I have to get this out. You would have no idea what I saw that night. I saw some of my friends fall as their backs were torn open by bullets and he…he was laughing. He kept crying out, 'This is your reward for being born Arrancar.'"

"My God," Grimmjow said. "Was he…did he serve in the Gotei?"

Nel nodded.

"He did. He stood on the porch of the orphanage and was shooting at us while wearing his Gotei uniform. Ever since then, I've hated that uniform and anyone wearing it. That uniform killed many of my friends."

"No, it was the man wearing the uniform that did that," Grimmjow said. "Not everyone who wears a Gotei uniform is evil and not everyone who is an Arrancar is good. You have to remember that you survived. That's what being an Arrancar means: you have what it takes to survive. So, you escaped the bastard. What happened next?"

"We fled into the Hueco Mundo Wastes. I knew that I had family there because of a letter my mother left me before she dropped me off at the orphanage. It said that when I got older to go to the Hueco Mundo Wastes and visit her sister's family, the Gilga. That's how I met my cousin, Nnoitora."

"You mean the one who's always boasting about how he's the best and strongest?"

"That's the one," Nel said. "I guess you could say that he loathed me at first sight. He would always challenge me to fights and I would always beat him. I guess…that only intensified his hatred of me. However, he didn't mind it if Pesche or Dondochakka beat him."

"Probably because he hated the idea of a girl beating him," Grimmjow said.

"That's probably it," Nel said. "At any rate, my time with the Gilga family was the happiest time I had in my childhood, but happiness must always come to an end."

"Does it?"

"That's how it seems to be for me," Nel said. "The end came with this rapier," she said and withdrew it from its sheath. "Toda Lucha tiene un Propósito," she said and traced the words on the medallion. "All Struggle has a Purpose."

"I don't get it. What does your rapier have to do with it?"

"It belonged to the headmaster of the orphanage I was in," Nel said and sighed.

"You went back?"

"I did. I went back to confront him. I was becoming a woman then and I thought that I should confront him."

She closed her eyes and remembered what happened that day.

_The Orphanage, Nine Years Before_

_"Stay here," Nel said to Pesche and Dondochakka._

_"Are ya sure?" Pesche asked._

_"I'm sure."_

_"We suffered too, don'tcha know," Dondochakka said. "We should confront him too."_

_"I know, but…I have to do this alone."_

_She walked up the steps to the porch were four years earlier the man who ran this place shot at them. She refused to look at the open ground that surrounded the orphanage in fear of seeing traces of that night like the remains of a child's shoe or doll or even splatters of dried blood on the ground. Instead, she focused her eyes on the door ahead and knocked._

_There was no response and for a moment she hoped that the man died. However, there was no such luck. The door opened and she looked into those dark green eyes that she hated the most. He still stood tall and straight as he ever did. His silver hair was combed back._

_"May I help you?"_

_"Mr. Nigami?"_

_"Yes, I'm Mr. Nigami. How may I help you?"_

_"I wish to discuss something with you."_

_"I see. Come inside. Would you like for your two associates to come in as well?"_

_"No, that will not be necessary," Nel said and entered the orphanage for the first time since that night._

_Mr. Nigami closed the door behind her and looked at her. He turned and pressed his back against the door and turned the lock._

_"So…what did you want to talk about…Nelliel?"_

_Nel turned and looked at him in surprise. Mr. Nigami smiled and walked towards her._

_"Did you think I wouldn't recognize that green hair or those hazel eyes? Did you think I wouldn't recognize Pesche or Dondochakka? Four years may have passed, but I could never forget one of my wards."_

_"Then I guess you know why I'm here."_

_"Oh…I know," he said and launched himself at her._

_Nel tried to avoid the attack, but Mr. Nigami's reflexes were still razor sharp. He struck her on the side of the head and Nel went sprawling. He stopped and looked at her. His smile was even wider than before. He brushed his silver hair back and walked towards her until he stood over her. He bent down and picked her up. Nel looked into those eyes and saw the fires of lust and hatred burning in them._

_"Oh…I've wanted to do this for so long," he said and licked his lips as he carried her into the master bedroom. "Ever since that first time with ya…oh God…the hunger…the hunger…"_

_Nel gritted her teeth. There was no way she was going to fail. She wouldn't let Pesche or Dondochakka get involved. This was why she resolved to do this alone. She would not let anyone know her secret. That she had been taken by force and violated by Mr. Nigami only two nights before they made their escape._

_He threw her onto the bed and stood over her. He looked at her and grinned as he walked to the wall where he hung his prized possessions. He looked at it and then reached up for the rapier that he prized more than anything else. _

_"This rapier," he said unsheathing it, "belonged to Antonio Gamuza. I'm sure you know that name, Nelliel Tu Odelschwank."_

_Nel didn't say anything._

_"Well, ANSWER ME!" he shouted and struck her across the face. "You know that name because you're part of his family line and I know that everyone related to that…that Arrancar knows his name since they take such great pride in it."_

_"Fuck you," Nel said._

_"No, I'm gonna fuck you," Mr. Nigami said as he brought the blade closer to her. "Now, be a good li'l girl and spread those legs. I know that all of you Arrancar gals spread your legs for anything. Yeah…you Arrancars are all nothing more than whores and butchers." He brought the blade closer to her blouse and began to cut away the buttons._

_"What about your wards?" Nel asked._

_"They're all taking their naps," he said and grinned. "They won't wake up for quite some time."_

_"You killed them?"_

_"They were all Arrancars. Arrancars don't deserve anything else."_

_Nel felt rage build up inside her. She balled her hand into a fist and as Mr. Nigami cupped one breast in his hand she struck him. Mr. Nigami let out a cry of surprise and the rapier fell from his hand. Nel let out a scream struck him in the stomach. He let out another cry and struck her in the stomach. She went flying back and struck the brass bed frame. Her vision shimmered slightly and then everything came back into focus._

_"You bitch," he snarled as he approached. "You fucking bitch…I'm…gonna…teach you…manners."_

_Nel felt something under her hand. She didn't care what it was so long as she could use it to do some damage to this bastard. She grasped it and thrust out. Mr. Nigami stopped and looked in surprise at the rapier that had skewered him. Blood blossomed from the entry wound._

_"You bitch," he said as Nel withdrew the blade. "You cut me."_

_"Oh…you haven't been cut yet," Nel said and thrust the blade again. This time the rapier dug into Mr. Nigami's shoulder. He grunted as he staggered back. "Why?"_

_"What are ya talking about?"_

_"Why did you shoot at us? We were just kids."_

_"Oh…that," he said and smiled. "You were all Arrancars. All Arrancars deserve to die."_

_"What did we do? What did we do to deserve that?"_

_"You were born Arrancars," he said and smiled._

_"You…FUCKER!" Nel shrieked and launched herself at him._

_Mr. Nigami tried to get out of the way, but he couldn't compete with Nel's fury. Nel grabbed him and threw him onto the bed. He landed hard and the foot of the bed collapsed. Nel jumped on him and brought the rapier down into his chest._

_"WE…WERE…JUST…KIDS! WE…WERE…JUST…KIDS! WE…WERE…JUST…KIDS!" she screamed over-and-over again. With each word, she brought the rapier down on him and out. "WE WERE JUST KIDS!" she screamed for one last time and thrust the rapier through his throat._

_"Fucking…Arrancar…" Mr. Nigami gasped as blood poured from his wounds._

_"That's right," Nel said and looked at the rapier. "I am an Arrancar."_

_She wiped the blade clean. She thought of just getting rid of it. Instead, she grabbed the scabbard and re-sheathed the rapier. She clung to it as she walked to the rooms where the orphans slept. When she opened the door, she saw the children in their beds. She knew she would find nothing but corpses, but she had to check. With each child she checked, tears flowed from her eyes._

_The Hueco Mundo Wastes, Two Years Before_

"Shit," Grimmjow muttered.

"I know," Nel said. "We buried the children and burned that damned place to the ground. When the papers came out, do you know what they said? They said that Mr. Nigami was a fucking hero who died to defend those children from an Arrancar attack."

"What?"

"Those fuckers would actually say that a person like Mr. Nigami died a hero because he's one of their own. If something bad happens…they blame Arrancars. If someone goes insane and kills people…they blame Arrancars. We're all nothing more than Gamuzas to them," she said and looked at the blade.

"Like in Antonio Gamuza?" Grimmjow asked.

"Something like that," Nel said. "But 'Gamuza' was just the word he adopted in order to hide his true last name. He decided on 'Gamuza' because he felt that the Arrancars were being used as little more than scapegoats like the legendary figure Gamuza who was pierced with many arrows because the people believed that he was responsible for their sorrows when in reality they were the ones responsible.

"No, Antonio Gamuza's real name was Antonio Tu Odelschwank," Nel said. "I'm his grand-daughter and I take pride in that fact. He tried to show the inhabitants of the Gensei Provinces that they were responsible for their own troubles, but none wished to face that fact. Instead, the Gotei massacred an entire town and they blamed him for it."

"Did they really do that?"

"Who knows what really happened?" Nel said. "However, since the town was made up of people who were empathetic to the Arrancars, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the Gotei were involved.

"So, now that you know that I've killed in cold-blood, do you still want to be with me?"

"That hasn't changed," Grimmjow said. "Besides, you killed someone who deserved it."

"Are you sure about that?" Nel asked. "If that's the case then why do I still have nightmares about him? Why do I still dream that someone else took over me that moment? Why do I wonder if there was some other way it could have gone?"

"It's because you're better than…than animals like him. That's why you can feel regret. Shit, I've killed people too and some of them I regret killing. But, you do what you have to in order to move on."

"Then kiss me," Nel said.

"What?"

"You heard me. I want you to kiss me. It might help," Nel said.

"Do you know how long I've wanted to do that?" Grimmjow asked and pressed his lips to hers.

As they began to undress each other in the dark, a wolf began to howl.

_The Hueco Mundo Wastes, One Year Before_

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Nel screamed and hugged Grimmjow.

"Huh…what?" Grimmjow muttered as he was still getting up.

"She said 'Happy Birthday'," Nakeem said. "Are ya deaf?"

"Shut up, Nakeem, I'm still getting up," Grimmjow said and yawned.

He saw the rest of his Panteras along with Pesche and Dondochakka sitting around the fire. Shawlong, however, was leaning against a boulder and sipping at his morning cup of tea. Grimmjow got up and put on his vest. He allowed his hand to travel the scar that Ichigo Kurosaki gave him last year.

"One of these days, Kurosaki," he growled. "I'm gonna repay the favor."

"Come on, Grimm-Kitty," Nel said. "Hurry and get your breakfast before it's all gone."

"Coming, and don't call me 'Grimm-Kitty'," Grimmjow said.

"Why do you call him, 'Grimm-Kitty'?" Edorad asked.

"When he's asleep, he sounds like a purring kitten," Nel said.

"I thought his snoring sounded familiar," Di Roy said and they all laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, just don't make it a habit," Grimmjow said. "I have my reputation to keep."

After breakfast, Grimmjow went to look at the sunrise as the others got ready to move out. He saw Nel coming to join him and he moved over to make room. Nel sat next to him and as the sun began to rise, she held out something to him.

"Grimm," Nel said and pushed small wrapped package into his chest. "I gotcha a present."

"What is it?" Grimmjow asked as he took it from her.

"Go ahead, open it," she said.

Grimmjow tore into the paper and saw a silver medallion engraved with a large cat prowling the desert under a crescent moon. The inscription "Moler el Mundo para el polvo" was engraved along the edges.

"Wow," Grimmjow whispered. "Thanks Nel," he said and put it on. He looked at how the silver stood out against his chest and the long scar. "This is…awesome."

"I'm glad you like it," Nel said. "I figured that you would need some kind of memento. Most of the Arrancars carry something with them that shows what they're about. This one just happened to catch my eye."

"Thanks, I'll always wear it."

Nel smiled and looked out. However, her smile faltered when she saw two riders approaching.

"Shit," she moaned.

"What is it?" Grimmjow asked and looked at the two riders.

Both were wearing eye-patches. One was tall and thin with long greasy black hair while the other was shorter with closely-cropped blonde hair.

"NELLIEL!" Nnoitora shouted. "Ulquiorra told me that I would find you here."

"Just what were ya doing with Night Bringer?" Nel asked.

"Easy, Shadow Lurker is gathering the Espada to him," Tesla said.

"Shut up, Tesla," Nnoitora snarled. "Yeah…Shadow Lurker is looking to recruit the Espada and since you're currently on that list…"

"Why should we go with you?" Grimmjow asked. "What makes you think we would even want to have anything to do with Shadow Lurker?"

"Who the fuck are you?" Nnoitora snarled.

"He's Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez and we are the Panteras," Shawlong said.

"Ah then we've hit pay-dirt. Two for the price of one," Nnoitora said. "Tesla, tell them."

"Yes sir," Tesla said. "Shadow Lurker is looking for recruits to help with an attack on Karakura Town. He wanted whoever found Grimmjow and the Panteras to tell them that the boy who gave him that scar is their sheriff."

"WHAT?" Grimmjow asked.

"You heard right," Nnoitora said, grinning. "Ichigo Kurosaki is the new sheriff of Karakura Town. This would be wonderful payback for what he did to ya. Wouldn't ya agree?"

"Grimmjow," Shawlong said. "The Kurosaki boy defied you and you swore revenge. As soon as you do, you can cut all ties with Shadow Lurker. However, this may be the excellent opportunity to get revenge."

"I know," Grimmjow said. "But the idea of Shadow Lurker giving me orders just makes me sick."

"I understand," Nel said. "However, from what I've heard, Shadow Lurker will never quit until he gets what he wants. Right now, he wants us and he'll continue to chase after us if we don't decide to follow him."

"Damn, he's one of those types," Grimmjow said.

"Nnoitora," Nel said.

"Huh?"

"Why did you decide to follow Shadow Lurker?"

"Are you joking? It's because anyone who brings Karakura Town down will be known as the best and strongest among Arrancars."

"But you'll have to share it," Nel said.

"I can deal with them afterwards," Nnoitora said and grinned.

"I see," Nel said and shook her head. "I'll go…just so that way I can keep an eye on you."

"WHAT?" Nnoitora shouted. "I don't need…YOUR FUCKING CONCERN!"

"Yet, you do," Nel said.

"Are ya sure about this?" Grimmjow asked.

"I'm sure," Nel said.

"Fine, then I'm coming as well," Grimmjow said. "Panteras, if you want to go your own way, you may."

"Fuck that," Edorad said. "We're coming too."

"Yeah, you kept your word to us," Yylfordt said. "It's time we make our own vow."

"I agree," Shawlong said.

"What are ya talking about?" Grimmjow asked.

Immediately the Panteras fell to one knee. Their heads were bent.

"Grimmjow," Shawlong said. "I, Shawlong Kufang, speak on behalf of the Panteras. We swear to follow you and to support you in your decisions. We will follow you wherever you go, even if it means our deaths. We, Shawlong Kufang, Yylfordt Granz, Di Roy Linker, Edorad Leones, and Nakeem Grindina, swear this upon our names and our blood. If we fail to uphold our vows, then we will find our Pride on the Blade broken."

"Are ya sure ya want to swear that?" Grimmjow asked.

"We're sure," Yylfordt said.

"Fine, then I accept your oaths," Grimmjow said.

"Tch…'Pride on the Blade'," Nnoitora snarled. "Do you idiots still believe that nonsense?"

"It's not nonsense," Pesche said.

"Pesche, Nnoitora has never once bothered to learn the importance of Pride on the Blade," Nel said. "He doesn't understand that it's the most sacred thing to a true Arrancar. That's why he does not understand what it means to be an Espada."

"What are you talking about?" Tesla asked. "Master Nnoitora knows that to be an Espada, you have to be the best and strongest."

"It's not, though," Nel said. "To be an Espada means to know the code of Pride on the Blade, the importance of being true to yourself and others."

_Las Noches, One Year Before_

"Again, niño," Dordoni said.

Grimmjow watched as Dordoni was teaching Di Roy how to use a sword. Sometimes a battle could be won with just a sword and he wanted to make sure that all of the Panteras became familiar with it. He watched as his Panteras were practicing with the other Privaron Espada, those who used to be Espada but were since replaced. He watched as Yylfordt and his brother, Szayel Aporro, were getting into a fight over something. Grimmjow shook his head. Yylfordt wanted to learn swordsmanship while Szayel Aporro was busy tinkering with another one of his "inventions" or "experiments".

"I see that those two will never get along," Nel said.

"No, they won't."

"I heard screaming coming from Szayel Aporro's lab."

"He's been trying out a new drug that Zommari developed. It's something called Brujería. Ya know, I still can't figure out how Zommari became an Espada."

"Most of the Espada become that way either through committing assassinations or forming an army and attacking the Borderlands or by doing robberies or some combination. Zommari, however, became that way by weakening the Gotei through addictive drugs. He always boasts about how one day his drugs will bring down all of the Gensei Provinces."

"That sounds like a lame way to bring down the Gensei Provinces," Grimmjow said. "Hell, there's no fun in it."

"Yet it could be the way to bring it about," Nel said and frowned.

"I doubt that."

Grimmjow looked back to where the Panteras were training when he saw Baraggan coming towards them.

"Shit, the 'King' approaches," Grimmjow moaned and stood up.

"Huh, I wonder what he's doing," Nel said.

"Why doesn't he have his Crimson Dragons with him?"

At that moment Baraggan turned and made his way towards them. Grimmjow and Nel looked at each other.

"We better show him some manners," Nel said.

"No shit," Grimmjow said. "The last thing I want is for him to complain about us not showing him the proper respect."

They stood up straight as Baraggan approached. He stopped and looked at them.

"We got new recruits coming," Baraggan growled. "They're nearing the entry. Everyone's to gather to greet them," he snarled and walked away.

"Well, that was pleasant," Nel said as they watched Baraggan's retreating back.

"Fresh meat eh," Grimmjow said grinning. "Perhaps we should give them a proper welcome."

"Just go easy on them," Nel said. "We don't know who they are."

"They're probably just some green-horn Arrancars who want to join the fun," Grimmjow said and the two made their way to the entrance to the basin.

"We heard," Shawlong said as the Panteras approached them.

"New recruits," Di Roy said and grinned.

"Just go easy on them," Pesche said.

"Someone's coming," Yylfordt said.

"I hope I can use one of them as a test subject," Szayel-Aporro said. "Zommari wants to begin seeing the effects of Brujería mixed with other drugs."

"I don't think you'll be able to use any of them that way, Freak," Cirucci said.

"Oh…and what makes you say that?" Szayel Aporro asked.

"Lord Aizen's with them," Gantenbainne said. "And so is Ulquiorra…holy shit…do you think…?"

"It's the only possibility," Dordoni said.

"What are you blabbing about?" Grimmjow asked.

"Aizen sent Ulquiorra to find…but…does that mean they found…?" Nel gasped.

Grimmjow looked and he saw Aizen leading the new recruits. Ulquiorra rode next to him but behind them came four women, three following a blonde darkly-tanned woman who was riding next to a little girl. At the head of this group, looking more like a leader than Aizen was a man with shoulder-length brown hair and a faded goatee.

"No…no way…" Grimmjow whispered.

"My dear Espada and Arrancars," Aizen said as he came to a halt. "As you are aware, the position of Primera Espada has been vacant here in Las Noches."

"You should have appointed me the Primera," Baraggan growled.

"I am pleased to announce that position is now filled. I would like to introduce you to the Primera Espada of Las Noches and the Hueco Mundo Wastes, Coyote Starrk."

_Las Noches, Eight Months Before_

"Hey Grimm," Starrk said as he carried his plate of fried bread and baked beans to where Grimmjow was sitting.

"Starrk, pull up a rock and sit a spell," Grimmjow said and smiled.

"Don't mind if I do," Starrk said and sat down. "Where's Nel?"

"Oh…she went off somewhere," Grimmjow said. "Where are Harribel and Lilynette?"

"Probably with Nel," Starrk said and the two laughed.

It was weird for Grimmjow to actually be sitting with the legendary Los Lobos, a man who Rudobon admired and respected. At first, Grimmjow thought that Starrk would turn out to be a braggart like Baraggan or Nnoitora or Yammy, or a serious know-it-all like Ulquiorra. However, he never expected for Starrk to be the type of guy who would sit down with the Fraccion and just talk with them. It took a couple of weeks for Grimmjow to work up the courage and introduce himself to Starrk.

He was glad that he did.

"So, where's Aisslinger?" Starrk asked. "I haven't seen him for a while, or Luppi for that matter."

"I think they're busy on a mission with Zommari in the Borderlands," Grimmjow said.

"Brujería," Starrk muttered as though the word was venom.

"Yeah," Grimmjow said.

He didn't know much about Brujería, but he knew that it was something dangerous. He forbade his Panteras from ever touching it. Starrk felt the same way about the drug as Grimmjow did. They saw what happened when someone went through withdraw from the drug. So far, no one who took the drug a single time ever returned to normal. If they got off it, their movements became hindered and their thought processes became slower. Brujería was a drug that destroyed the mind and the body and that was the effect that Aizen seemed to want. Then, when it was mixed with peyote and became the drug Amor, it could be lethal if taken in too-large quantities.

"What would Aizen want with a drug like that?" Grimmjow asked.

"I don't know," Starrk said. "But it's not an honorable way to wage war. What makes it even worse is that he doesn't care who gets their hands on it. It's one thing for an adult to go for something like that since it's their choice, but to introduce it to a child…I can't stand by that."

"I know," Grimmjow said. "Nel's becoming out-spoken about it. She's thinking of going to the Gotei and informing them of it."

"I thought she hated Gotei," Starrk said.

"She does, but that doesn't mean that she'll just stand aside and let something like Brujería and Amor be used to weaken our enemy."

"She has a strong Pride on the Blade," Starrk said. "You two were made for each other."

"I know…in fact," Grimmjow said and brought out the ring from his vest pocket. "I'm thinking of asking her to marry me."

"That's wonderful," Starrk said. "Perhaps we can make it a double wedding," he said and brought out a ring from his coat pocket.

"Harribel?"

"Harribel," Starrk said and smiled. "Of course, that is if I can get up enough courage to ask her."

"Hell, we can ask them tonight at the dance. I say that we do it at the same time," Grimmjow said. "That way you can't chicken-out."

"I could say the same for you," Starrk said and the two laughed.

On top of one of the cliffs, Harribel, Lilynette, and Nel were sitting. They ate their own meals and were laughing.

"So…so then, Grimmjow, he just…he just panicked and started shrieking like a little girl," Nel said.

"He reacted that way…to a rabbit?" Lilynette asked, unable to believe what she just heard.

"Yeah…can you imagine…the great Grimmjow scared…of a RABBIT?" Nel said and laughed.

"I can believe it," Harribel said. "Starrk had a similar reaction when he saw an armadillo."

"No way," Nel said and burst out into laughter.

"Of course, he said he wasn't afraid," Harribel said.

"Men are funny that way," Nel said. "They act tough, but deep down they're shaking in their boots. I know that Grimmjow's that way when it comes to asking me to marry him."

"Whoa, how do you know that?" Lilynette asked.

"I found the ring," Nel said and gave her mischievous smile. "He doesn't know I found it, but I did. When he finally asks the question, I'm gonna act surprised and shout, 'HELL YEAH I'LL MARRY YA!'"

"Starrk's thinking of proposing to me as well," Harribel said. "I don't need to see the ring to know that he has one for me."

"So romantic," Lilynette sighed.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," a raspy voice said.

The three jumped a little and turned to see Aaroniero behind them. He was dressed in a black suit with a ruffled white shirt and a dark purple velvet ascot. His silver mask shone with the light of the setting sun.

"What do you want, Aaroniero?" Nel asked.

"Aizen would like to see you, Nel," Aaroniero said.

"We'll come too," Lilynette said.

"No…just Nel. He's waiting at the Sunset Point," Aaroniero said and he walked away.

"That guy gives me the creeps," Lilynette said.

"I know," Harribel said.

"I should tell Pesche and Dondochakka where I'm going," Nel said.

"Come to think of it…I haven't seen them," Lilynette said. "They said that they would play with me this morning, but I couldn't find them."

"You know…now that you mention it…I haven't seen them since last night," Nel said. "Hmm, maybe they got sent on a mission."

"But, wouldn't they have told you if they had?" Harribel asked.

"True," Nel said. "I'll ask Aizen about it when I see him. Anyways, I'll see you tonight at the dance," Nel said and waved to them.

Nel began to whistle "La Distancia Para un Duelo" as she walked along the cliff-edge. She could see someone standing at the Sunset Point, which was a part of the cliff that formed the Western Wall of Las Noches that stuck out like the prow of a ship. She slowed down since she saw that the figure was not Aizen. Her hand went to her revolver and she put her left hand on top of the rapier she kept with her. As she came closer, the figure turned to face her.

"Well, you made it," Nnoitora said and grinned at her.

"What do you want?"

"I want that rematch."

"How many times do I have to fight you before you realize that you can't beat me?"

"So, are ya gonna duel with me?"

"I hope you don't mean for real," Nel said.

"Of course I mean for real."

"That's not gonna happen."

"Why not?"

"You're my cousin, Nnoitora. I don't have any reason to fight a member of my family."

"Is that so? Hmm, interesting…I don't see your two henchmen with ya."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh…ya know…the big guy and the blonde guy who keep tagging along with ya," Nnoitora said and grinned as Nel jumped slightly.

"Pesche…and…and Dondochakka," Nel said as she turned to face him.

"THAT'S IT!" Nnoitora said and slapped his knee.

"Where are they, Nnoitora?" Nel asked.

"Don't worry, I haven't done anything to them…yet," Nnoitora said.

"Where are they?"

"So…now do ya have a reason to duel with me?" Nnoitora asked.

"Damn it Nnoitora, tell me where they are," Nel said.

"They're in a nice holding cell," Nnoitora said and smiled at her. "I'll tell ya what. If ya win the duel…they go free and I leave you alone."

"Fine then," Nel said. "I agree to that since I'm gonna win."

"Don'tcha want to hear the terms if _I_ win?"

"That's not gonna happen, Nnoitora."

"Oh…don't be so sure," Nnoitora said.

Before Nel had time to react, Nnoitora straightened his right hand and a pistol that was hidden in his sleeve appeared in his hand. Nel reacted, but unfortunately not fast enough. Nnoitora fired and Nel felt something hit the side of her head. She staggered and her foot slipped on the edge of the cliff. As she fell to the sandy ground below, everything became black.

Nnoitora walked to the cliff's edge as the last light of the setting sun was giving way to the sun and moon overhead. He looked down and saw Nel's body lying at the bottom.

"So…did my li'l device work?" Szayel-Aporro asked as he approached.

"It did," Nnoitora said with a grin.

"I'm glad to hear it. You will talk to Aizen about giving me a position with the Espada in exchange for my help, right?"

"Of course I will," Nnoitora said as he took off his jacket and revealed the hidden mechanical holster that Szayel-Aporro made for him to hide the small pistol. "And he'll keep his promise to give you a position. Shit, he kept his promise that I would be the one to take care of that bitch."

"It's too bad that she made such a fuss about going to the Gotei and warning them about the drugs," Szayel Aporro said. "If she hadn't then she would still be alive," he said and walked away.

"Whatever," Nnoitora said and he grabbed his riffle from the rock he leaned it up against when he first arrived. He traced the gold lettering on the butt of the gun that surrounded the grinning skull. "Estamos hechos para Sufrir," he said and sighed. "Nel, you're wrong. All struggle does not have a purpose. The truth is: We are made to Suffer," Nnoitora said and walked away.

_The Hueco Mundo Wastes, Eight Months Before_

Far below the Sunset Point, Nel stirred, but she could not move. Her head ached more than it ever had. She opened her eyes and saw the stars begin to shine above her in the early twilight hours. She heard running footsteps coming towards her.

"Nel," Pesche said.

"Oh God, Nel, we're glad we found ya, don'tcha know," Dondochakka said.

Nel tried to speak, but she just couldn't.

"Don't try to speak," Pesche said. "Oh Nel, we're so sorry for failing you like this. We…we were taken by some of Baraggan's men and put in one of the holding cells. We weren't there very long since Dondochakka leaned against one of the walls and uncovered the entrance to a mine shaft that must have been covered-up."

"Yeah I mean talk about a Deus-ex-Machina, don'tcha know," Dondochakka said as he knelt besides Nel.

"Now, I know we shouldn't try to move ya, but it's not safe here," Pesche said. "Dondochakka you're gonna have to carry her, but try to keep her body as straight as possible. This may be a bad idea, but we have to get out of here as soon as possible."

"I know, but…what if we make it worse?"

"That's a risk we'll have to take. We have to make sure that she survives and if we leave her here, then she'll definitely die."

"I know," Dondochakka said. "But, where are we gonna take her?"

"I've got a pretty good idea about that," Pesche said. "Now come on."

Dondochakka lifted Nel as gently as he could in his large hands and did the best he could to make sure that he didn't do anything to make her wounds worse. Nel didn't mind. She was alive. Nnoitora's little pistol did not do as much damage as the fall had since it was extremely inaccurate and had only grazed her head.

She looked up into Dondochakka's face and smiled. She knew she would be in good hands and there was a chance that she would someday be reunited with Grimmjow.

_Las Noches, Eight Months Before_

"Hey, have any of you seen Nel?" Grimmjow asked a group of Arrancars.

"No, we haven't," one of the Arrancars with long, wavy purple hair and was wearing a very tight pair of jeans with sparkles on the leggings made to look like roses, said.

"I'm sure she's around," another, a large bulky man, said.

"Thanks for nothing," Grimmjow snarled as he walked away from Nirgge and Cuuhlhourne who only looked at each other and nodded.

"Well…anything?" Harribel asked.

"No one seems to know where she is," Grimmjow said.

"I know. I asked around and no one has seen her," Lilynette said.

"When was the last time you saw her?" Grimmjow asked.

"At around sunset," Harribel said. "We were talking when Aaroniero told her that Aizen wanted to see her at the Sunset Point."

"Wait…why would Aizen want to see her at the Sunset Point?" Grimmjow asked.

"I don't know," Harribel said. "Maybe you should talk to Aizen about this."

"That's what I intend to do," Grimmjow said and began to march towards Aizen's cabin.

He saw Starrk rushing towards him.

"I talked with some of the other Espada," Starrk said. "Aaroniero told me…"

"I know…Aizen wanted to meet her at Sunset Point," Grimmjow said.

"Yeah," Starrk said. "However, I didn't see Nnoitora or Szayel-Aporro around."

"I'll take care of those two later," Grimmjow said. "They might know something. Well, at least Nnoitora might know something. Szayel-Aporro was probably too busy building one of his li'l toys to be involved."

"I'll go with ya," Starrk said.

"No, I'll take care of this myself," Grimmjow said. "You go ahead and do what you said you were gonna do."

"Nope," Starrk said. "We said that we would propose together. That's what I intend to do. I intend to propose to Harribel the same time you propose to Nel. The sooner we find her…the sooner we can do that."

"Thanks Starrk," Grimmjow said and smiled as he clapped the man on the shoulder. "Just…get back to Harribel and keep an eye on her. Chances are that if something happened to Nel, then something could very well happen to her."

"Alright, but be careful," Starrk said and marched off.

"You know it," Grimmjow said and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" a monotone voice called from the other side.

"Open up Ulquiorra, it's me, Grimmjow."

"Do you have an appointment with Lord Aizen?"

"No…I don't have an appointment with Lord Aizen. I need to see him about Nel."

There was silence and then the door opened. Grimmjow looked into Ulquiorra's emerald green eyes.

"You may come in," Ulquiorra said and moved to the side. "Lord Aizen has been expecting you."

"Why would he be expecting me?"

"I figured that you found out that I called Nel for a private conversation on top of Sunset Point," Aizen said as he got up from his desk.

"Aizen," Grimmjow said. "I found out that you called her to meet you at Sunset Point. I want to know why you called her there."

"I was going to talk to her about her relationship with you. I understand that you and she have been very close."

"Yeah well, so are Starrk and Harribel and I don't recall you ever calling her to a private conversation at Sunset Point."

"That's because I already had that conversation with her while we were travelling here," Aizen said. "At any rate, I don't know what happened to Miss Tu Odelschwank. When I arrived at Sunset Point, she wasn't there."

"I see," Grimmjow said. "Did you see anyone coming from there?"

"I did not," Aizen said. "However, I will send out a search party in the morning to look for her. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

"Hey, wait a minute…" Grimmjow began.

"I hope that she's alright," Aizen said.

"Now wait a minute, I still have questions," Grimmjow said, but he was pushed out by Ulquiorra.

"Lord Aizen does not know where Miss Tu Odelschwank is," Ulquiorra said. "I would advise that you do not waste his time on such trivial matters."

"You BASTARD!" Grimmjow cried out as Ulquiorra shut the door in his face.

"Well, well, is the poor li'l Kitty missing Nel?" Nnoitora asked.

"Just the insect I wanted to see," Grimmjow said and turned to Nnoitora. "You did something to her, didn't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Nnoitora said and grinned.

"You did, and I'll find out what it was you did to her. When I do…"

"I would advise ya to watch your temper," Nnoitora said. "Ya never know what trouble it might get ya into."

"Mark my words, Nnoitora, I'll find out what happened to Nel."

"As far as I'm concerned," Nnoitora said. "Nothing's happened to her. I'll tell ya what. I'll talk to Lord Aizen about it."

"I already tried to talk about it to him. And all that he told me was that he didn't know what happened to her and that he'd send out a search party in the morning to look for her."

"There ya go," Nnoitora said and smiled. "Problem solved. Besides, I know Nel and she can take care of herself."

_Las Noches, Four Months Before_

"Well, what did he say?" Di Roy asked.

"We're riding out," Grimmjow said. "However, he said that none of the Fraccion is to come with us."

"Wait a minute, so what does that mean?" Nakeem asked.

"It means that we are to stay here," Shawlong said.

"No way," Yylfordt said. "That's crazy."

"I agree," Edorad said. "What's the point of just having the Espada go attack Karakura Town?"

"I don't know and I don't like it," Grimmjow said. "He's dodging it like he did when Nel vanished."

"He said that Nel and her two Fraccion ran away," Shawlong said.

"AND DO YOU BELIEVE THAT?" Grimmjow said.

"Of course I don't," Shawlong said. "So, what would you like us to do?"

"I want you to wait for me outside of Kagamino. If things go sour, I'll join up with ya as quick as I can. That's a promise."

"What if you're unable to make it for some reason?" Shawlong asked.

"Of course he'll make it," Di Roy said. "He's had so many opportunities to die and he hasn't died on us yet."

"That's right," Edorad said. "I say that we continue to trust Grimmjow as he trusted us. If he says he'll meet up with us, then he'll meet up with us."

"I know," Shawlong said. "It's just that I can't help but worry."

"Don't worry, Shawlong," Grimmjow said as he fingered the medallion around his neck. "When I make a promise, I always keep it."

**End of Chapter 8**

**A.N.: I wish to thank darkmachines for allowing me to use his OC Skullak Tuma and for his continuous reviews on this story.**

**Wow, we're nearing the half-way point. The next chapter will take us back to the present time of the story. I should note that the time designated in the sub-section headings are in terms of prior to the events of the main story. Likewise, there are some things that are being set up for future chapters. Starting next chapter, Aizen's plan will be taking effect at lightning-speed. There will be three more flashback chapters on top of at least six chapters of the story itself.**

**Thank you for reading and please review.**


	9. Chapter 9: For Justice

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 9: "For Justice"**

_Karakura Town, 10 Years Before_

_He leaned back against the tree and took it all in. The smell of the grass as the morning's heat cooled down and formed dew. The sound of the cool night breeze rustling through the leaves as it traveled its course. He lifted his face and smiled as the cool night air brushed his face. His smile only grew as he heard the approach of familiar footsteps._

_"I thought I would find you here," she said._

_"You know me," he said. "How did your training go?"_

_"It went well. How did your studies go?"_

_"Fine, but I never realized that Law could be so…complex."_

_"Did you really think that it was all a matter of black and white? Right and wrong? True and false?"_

_"Well…yeah."_

_"You should know better than that," she said and smiled. "The world doesn't always work that way. That's why laws must be able to adjust to any given situation and why someone should be willing to stand up for them."_

_"But, you can't just keep on playing with the Law until it becomes too weak to be effective. Society is maintained by Justice and Justice is maintained by punishing those who do wrong and rewarding those who do right."_

_"But who determines who's right and who's wrong?"_

_"Those who make the Law determine that."_

_"But who determines that _they're_ right or wrong? Don't you understand that there lies the problem with absolutism?"_

_"Yet you're training to enter the Gotei. Their purpose is to uphold the Laws of the Gensei Provinces and keep them safe from the Arrancars."_

_"I know. I know. However, I don't believe that the whole thing with the Arrancars should be an 'us vs. them' situation."_

_"Why not? Arrancars are evil and those who live in the Gensei Provinces are good. That's the way it is."_

_"Unfortunately, it isn't. I thought that you would understand that, but it seems as though all you can believe in is that if someone is not on your side 100% then they must be evil. That's sad."_

_"Wait a minute. What are you talking about?"_

_"It's sad when you willingly blind yourself to others because they do not agree with you 100%. I agree with you that Justice is making sure that those who do wrong are punished, but Mercy must play into it as well. Otherwise, the scales will only tip in one direction instead of remaining balanced."_

_"Mercy weakens Justice."_

_"No, Mercy strengthens Justice. _

"_Well, I better get going. My fiancé will be wondering where I am."_

_"When's the wedding?"_

_"It's going to be this Saturday. You're invited if you want to come."_

_"I'll…try to come."_

_"I hope you'll be there, Kaname."_

_Central 46 Rotunda_

Kaname woke from the memory when someone knocked on his office door. He shook his head in order to clear it. He didn't know why he was remembering _her_ again. He knew that he sided with Aizen in order to fulfill an oath he took so long ago. But that did not explain why he was remembering the past at this point in time.

"Who is it?"

"It's Kugo Ginjo from the Xcution Squad. Ichigo sent me over to give the news to Central 46."

"Well, come in then."

Kugo Ginjo opened the door and stepped inside. He bowed slightly and then straightened.

"Ichigo instructed me to come to the Rotunda and inform Central 46 that the Arrancars known as the 'Los Lobos Duo', 'Blood Star', and the 'Diamond Sisters' are in his custody."

Kaname nodded.

"That's good to hear. The citizens of the Gensei Provinces and the Borderlands will have something else to celebrate on Día de los Muertos," Kaname said and smiled.

_Fort Seireitei_

"Well, at least they're locked away," General Yamamoto said. "Thank you for informing me of this wonderful news. Have a good day, Mr. Kurosaki."

Aizen sat back as Yamamoto hung up the phone and looked at him.

"Well, are they behind bars?" Aizen asked.

"They are," Yamamoto said and nodded. "So far they haven't said anything important. However, they'll eventually talk. That's why I sent some of the other Captains to Karakura Town."

"That was a very wise decision," Aizen said.

"Excuse me, sir," Yamamoto's aide said as he walked into the office.

"What is it, Chojiro? I thought I told you that I did not wish to be disturbed."

"I understand, sir, but I think you might want to hear this."

"Very well," Yamamoto said. "What is it?"

"We've just received word. The train that Captains Kuchiki, Unohana, Kyoraku, and Ukitake were on was ambushed."

_Karakura Town_

Captain Kyoraku ran down the street. He could hear Ukitake coughing as he tried to keep up.

"Jushiro, you should rest," he cried back over his shoulder.

"No…we…we have to…" Ukitake said before breaking out into a coughing fit.

Kyoraku stopped and was about to run back to him when he saw Captain Unohana approaching. She looked at Ukitake and then at Kyoraku.

"Go," she said. "You have to make sure that Mr. Kurosaki does not make a mistake. I'll take care of Jushiro."

"Are you sure?" Kyoraku asked.

"I'm sure. Now go."

"Alright," he said and continued to run towards the Sheriff's Office.

_Sheriff's Office_

"You have a good day as well, General Yamamoto," Ichigo said and hung up the phone.

"Why?" Lilynette whispered. "Why didn't you believe us?"

"It's because you're Arrancars," Ichigo said. "You dogs kidnapped my friend. You attacked us time-and-time again. You tried to kill us. WHY SHOULD WE BELIEVE YOU?" he shouted.

Lilynette backed away when she saw the fury on Ichigo's face and she rushed to Harribel who embraced her. Harribel looked at Ichigo and pushed down the rage she felt.

"Did you have to scare her like that?" she asked as she stroked Lilynette's hair. "Did you have to snap at a little girl like that? Would you talk that way any little girl?"

"What girl?" Renji asked. "I only see a pack of dogs."

Rukia couldn't take it anymore. She got up and slapped Renji across the face. Renji looked at her, his eyes wide in surprise. He opened his mouth to ask her why she hit him.

"Don't…say…a…single word," Rukia said. "You two are acting like little boys."

"Rukia, you know full well that…" Ichigo said.

"I KNOW WHAT MOST OF THE GENSEI PROVINCES ARE SAYING!" Rukia shouted. "But that doesn't make it right."

"You're siding with…with THE ARRANCARS?" Renji asked.

"Only the ones here," Rukia said. "They came willingly. They didn't try to run. In fact, from the reports it seemed as though they tried to make sure that they didn't kill anyone. They have more respect for us than either of you do for them. As far as I'm concerned you're the ones who are behaving like dogs."

"Rukia, do I need to remind you who's the Sheriff around here?" Ichigo asked.

"That's so typical," Rukia said. "You think that by waving your badge around you can get me to respect you? There may have been a time for that, but not today, Ichigo. If you really want my respect, you will apologize to them for acting like a dog."

"I won't apologize to an Arrancar," Ichigo said. "Renji, lock them up while I go through their stuff."

"Sounds good," Renji said and smiled. "You know, that little girl was pretty attached to that box there. Maybe you should go through it first."

"Good idea," Ichigo said and reached out for Lilynette's Treasure Box.

"NOOOOO!" Lilynette shouted and rushed at him and pushed Ichigo away.

Ichigo was surprised. However, his rage took control of him and he struck out with his fist.

"You little bitch," he snarled as he hit Lilynette.

Starrk's reaction was extremely fast. He caught Lilynette with his left arm and grabbed Ichigo with his right and lifted him into the air. Rukia gasped in surprise, but she and Renji drew their revolvers and aimed it at Starrk.

"DROP HIM BEFORE I DROP YOU!" he shouted.

"You DARE to strike my Lobato," Starrk snarled and his eyes became not just golden, but the color of a combination of melted gold and fire.

"Starrk," Harribel said and put a hand on his right arm and she pushed it down. "It's obvious they don't understand."

"That still doesn't give him an excuse to hit Lilynette."

"It doesn't," Harribel said. "But it's like you said before. He's nothing but a little dog trying to act tough."

That seemed to calm Starrk down and he released Ichigo. Ichigo looked in surprise and grabbed Lilynette's Treasure Box from the table and was prepared to smash it against the wall. He didn't care for anything except how to make at least one of the Arrancars suffer. If he couldn't get at Starrk or Harribel, then he would get the satisfaction of seeing one of them suffer from Lilynette.

"If you dare make her cry," Starrk said. "You will feel my fangs."

"But at least I'll make an Arrancar cry," Ichigo said and smiled. "It's only fair for the tears they made me cry."

"That's enough, Ichigo," Rukia said. "Give that to me," she said and took hold of the wooden box.

"Stay out of this Rukia," Renji said.

"I can't," Rukia said. "I won't stand by while Ichigo does something he'll regret. For God's sake, Ichigo, she's about your sisters' age. What do you think Yuzu or Karin would think if they saw you like this?"

Ichigo looked at her and relinquished his hold on the wooden box.

"Fine, you can take care of looking through their things," Ichigo said. "But I want an accurate record of what they have. Renji, let's take care of their weapons."

"Yes sir," Renji said and the two went back to where the weapons that Riruka and Jackie confiscated were piled up on one of the desks.

"I'm sorry about that," Rukia said. "This is your Treasure Box, right?"

"Yeah," Lilynette said as she wiped her face with the sleeve of her shirt.

"I won't go through it if you don't want me to," Rukia said and smiled at her. "I'll tell you what. I'll keep it in my desk for safekeeping. Is that alright?"

Lilynette sniffed slightly and nodded her head. Rukia smiled and went over to her own desk. Starrk stepped towards her.

"Why are you being so courteous to us?" he asked. "I remember when you attacked us that you were almost killed by Aaroniero. By all rights, you should hate us. Why don't you?"

"It's because none of you are Aaroniero," she said. "He killed a close friend of mine and I went after him. From what I saw in the reports, none of you deserve to be treated like dirt. I just wish that those two would grow up."

"Thank you…uh…"

"My name's Rukia Kuchiki, but you can just call me Rukia."

"Thank you, Rukia," Starrk said. "Harribel and I also have our own Treasure Boxes as well. You have my permission to go through mine."

"And mine as well," Harribel said.

"She can go through mine," Lilynette said.

"Thank you," Rukia said. "I'll try to be as respectful as I can. Oh, here's your locket," she said and held out the heart-shaped locket out to Lilynette. "I'm sure you'll at least want this."

"Thanks," Lilynette said and smiled as she took it.

"Well, at least someone around here is decent," Apacci said. "HEY, YOU BETTER BE CAREFUL WITH THAT!" she shouted.

"Hey Ichigo, did you hear something barking just now?" Renji asked.

"Fine, have it your way," Apacci said. "Don't blame me if you blow yourselves up. What a couple of dumbasses."

At that moment the door to the Sheriff's Office burst open.

_Hogyoku United Bank Headquarters_

Gin Ichimaru sat forward.

"You didn't receive your gold shipment?" he asked.

"NO!" the banker across from him nearly shouted. "We didn't receive the printed notes either."

"That's disturbing," Gin said and he reached for the telephone. "Let me look into this."

"Look, if we don't have printed cash or the gold to back it up, I'll have to close down sixteen branches."

"I understand," Gin said. "Maybe there was a delay on the shipment. You remember what it was like when the Senkaimon River flooded last year."

"Yes, but the Senkaimon River doesn't flow through the Borderlands."

"That's true," Gin said as he entered the number to the main office of the Garganta line. "I hope that it's nothing too serious," Gin said.

_Sheriff's Office_

All eyes were focused on the door. Captain Kyoraku stood in the doorway, catching his breath. Starrk sighed.

"Captain Kyoraku," Renji said and snapped at attention.

Rukia and Ichigo followed suit and the three saluted. However, Kyoraku only gave a wave and the three stood at ease. He looked at the Arrancars and smiled and waved to them.

"I hope I'm not too late," he said.

"Well, this is a surprise. We weren't expecting the Gotei to send someone to help us question them," Ichigo said.

"I didn't mean that. I meant I hope I'm not too late to tell you to listen to whatever they say," he said.

Ichigo, Renji, and Rukia looked at each other. They thought that they heard wrong. However, one look on Kyoraku's face told them that he was serious.

"What?" Ichigo asked.

"I told you that you have to listen to whatever they say. If you actually used your mind for once you would conclude that they didn't come all of this way to tell us some bullshit story," Kyoraku said. "You did think with your heads, right?"

"These two didn't," Rukia said.

"What?" Kyoraku asked. His face went pale. "Did you call General Yamamoto?"

"I did," Ichigo said. "I told him that the Arrancars didn't tell us anything important."

"You…you…YOU IDIOT!" Kyoraku shouted. "Why did you do that?"

"They're Arrancars," Ichigo said. "Captain Kyoraku, I'm surprised that an officer in the Gotei is actually standing up for Arrancars. You should know that Arrancars are evil creatures who cannot be trusted and the Gotei are the good guys."

"Damn it," Kyoraku said. He rushed over to Ichigo's desk and picked up the phone.

"Tell us what's going on," Rukia said.

However, Kyoraku ignored her as he dialed in the number for Yamamoto's office. He listened to the other end. Ichigo could see the panic on his face. Then relief swept over him when he heard someone pick up.

"Yes," he said. "I need to speak with General Yamamoto at once." He paused and his face became hard. "Where is he? Well, how long ago did he leave? Alright, listen. This is Captain Shunsui Kyoraku of the Eighth Division. I need you to inform him that we made it into Karakura Town, but we were ambushed by members of the Kage no Tanken."

"What?" Rukia asked.

"No…that's impossible," Renji said, his face becoming pale. "The Kage no Tanken is under the jurisdiction of the Privatized Squads. They're on our side."

Ichigo did not say anything. Instead, his jaw muscles tightened and he felt bile rising in his throat. He looked at Starrk who did not say anything and had his eyes closed.

"I don't care how long he might be away. Find him if you have to and inform him, Private. That's an order."

_Fort Seireitei_

"I understand, sir," the soldier said and he turned to his companion. "I'll find him and let him know." He hung up the phone and sighed. "That was a close one."

"Damn right," his companion said. "It's a good thing that the old bastard found out about the ambush. Otherwise…"

"Don't remind me. Now hand me that cutter."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say," the man said and handed over the Gotei-issued knife. "So, are ya gonna deliver the message?"

"Tell me you're joking," he said and cut the phone line. "Job's done. And Jonas is keeping an eye on the telegraph in case anyone tries to wire in."

"Alright, let's meet up with the others," the other man said. "It's almost time for roll call."

With that, the two Gotei soldiers, one from the Fifth Division and the other from the Sixth Division made their way out of the office.

_Pinkerton Agency Offices, Karakura Town_

Tsukishima read through the report that Tatsuki handed him. He looked at her and smiled.

"This is very thorough," he said.

"Thank you, sir," Tatsuki said. "Fortunately, Miss Inoue was more than happy to tell me what she knew about the Espada."

"Did you sense that she was hiding anything?"

"No sir, I felt that she was completely open to me about them."

"And are you hiding anything from me?"

"Only what I promised Miss Inoue I wouldn't talk about."

"Such as…?"

"I'm sorry sir, but I cannot tell you. I gave my word to her."

"Yet you also gave your word to the Agency to inform them of anything that could be deemed…valuable."

"I know sir, but I did not hear anything from her that she told me to keep secret that could be important."

"Tatsuki, you're a good agent and very thorough, but I can tell that you're lying to me. But, I understand that you have a promise to keep and Sheriff Kurosaki has two Espada with their gangs in custody. So…I'll let it go. You're dismissed."

"Thank you, sir," Tatsuki said and made her way out.

Tsukishima sat back and smiled. He picked up Tatsuki's file and looked it through. She received very high marks in combat and investigative training. Her instructors said that she was honest and loyal to her friends, but not necessarily to the Agency. Tsukishima smiled.

"Yes, you'll do quite nicely for what I have planned," he said.

_Chad's Blacksmith Shop _

Yasutora Sado, better known as Chad, swung the hammer again. The sound it made as it struck the hot metal brought a sense of satisfaction with it. He lifted the hammer again.

"I thought I would find you here."

Chad turned and saw Uryu leaning on his cane in the doorway. Chad swung the hammer again.

"I'm sorry to hear about your father," Chad said.

"They said he'll be alright."

"I'm glad."

"I guess you already know that the Arrancars are in custody."

"Yeah."

"However, they didn't catch Ulquiorra."

"Is that why you came to see me?"

"Yes," Uryu said. "I'll be visiting Orihime to let her know."

"I'll keep my eyes open," Chad said as he held the nail he was making up to make sure it was getting the shape he wanted. "I'll be sure to let Ichigo know if I see anything."

"Thanks," Uryu said.

"Uryu," Chad called out as he put the nail in the cooling barrel.

"What is it?"

"Be careful. Something's not right."

Uryu nodded. He could feel that something worse was coming. He didn't know what it was and he hated not knowing.

_United Hogyoku Bank Headquarters_

Gin Ichimaru walked out into the lobby. He could see that many of the heads of the various banks throughout the Gensei Provinces and the Borderlands were on the verge of panic.

_That's good,_ he thought. _Just wait until you hear what I have to say._

"Did you find out what happened to my shipment of gold?"

"Where are the printed bills we were supposed to receive?"

"What's going on?"

The questions came at him. Gin Ichimaru fought the urge to smile. What he was about to say would cause a panic. They knew that printed money without something to back it up, such as gold or some commodity, was about as useful as toilet paper.

"I'm afraid that the news isn't good," Gin said. "Last night, Arrancars attacked the Garganta line and stole the shipment of gold and printed bills that were meant for your banks."

"What do you mean?"

"How much gold was lost?"

"Can we still conduct business?"

"I'm afraid that 25% of the Treasury's total gold reserves were lost," Gin said. "As for the printed bills…I'm afraid that 50% of the Treasury's total prints were lost as well."

"Oh dear God," someone moaned.

"We must keep this from our patrons," another whispered. "Otherwise, they'll panic and demand a withdrawal of all of their money."

There were murmurs of agreement. Gin knew that this part of the plan had achieved what Aizen wanted. He knew that this part was almost done and soon the others would be doing their part in preparations for the grand finale.

"I agree," Gin said with a straight face. "What they don't know won't hurt them."

_Desatoya Mountains_

Skullak sat next to the field telephone. His men were making preparations for the advance. All that he needed was the go-ahead from Rudobon.

"Sir, the Espada Army are in the Borderlands now," one of his men said.

"Thank you," Skullak said. "Have the other scouts reported in yet?"

"They have. So far, about one-fourths of the total Gotei forces in the Borderlands are going through withdrawal from Brujería and Amor. We estimate the remaining addicts in the Gotei will go through withdrawal over the next couple of days."

"I see," Skullak said and grimaced. He hated using addiction as a weapon. There was no honor to it. It was the same as taking the easy way out of a problem instead of facing it head-on. "What about the Plateado Brothers and their men?"

"We received word from Arturos that they are in Fort Seireitei and have made contact with the men Aizen already has positioned within the Gotei forces."

"Alright, and El General is moving into position in the North," Skullak said as he consulted the map opened beside him and held down with a stone at each corner. He took out the dagger that hung at his waist to trace the route. "When we get the order, we move north-east and unite with Rudobon outside of Junrinan and then proceed to the Garganta Pass where we'll meet up with the Espada forces."

He then thrust his knife into the spot on the map where Karakura Town was marked. "Then onto Karakura Town," Skullak said.

_Precipice Mountains_

Kenpachi Zaraki rode on his black stallion, Cutter, at the front of the line of 30 Gotei soldiers. Yachiru rode next to him on her pony, Mangler. Just behind them, Yachiru and Ikkaku looked excited.

"It's about time we got some excitement," Ikkaku said.

"I hope that the battle will be a beautiful one," Yumichika said.

"Shut up, you two," Kenpachi said. "From the information we got, we should be getting close."

"YAY!" Yachiru cried out. "This is gonna be fun."

"You got that right, Yachiru," Kenpachi said and grinned. "When the fighting starts, I want you to hide someplace safe. Got it?"

"I got it, Kenny," Yachiru said.

"Seizo, do you have the field phone ready?"

"Yes sir," Seizo Harugasaki said. "I have it set in case we need to call Maki-Maki."

"Good. Alright, men, I want you all to keep a look out. We're facing the Exequias here and they could be lurking anywhere. Keep your eyes and ears open."

"Yes sir," the men said and they rode forward.

Above them, a lone figure smiled and crawled back to where Alejo waited.

"Sir, they've taken the bait," the Exequias said.

"Good," Alejo said. "Antonio," he said and turned to an Exequias with a ram's skull tucked under his arm. "I want you and 20 other men to pin them down. Ricardo, call Alejandro and inform him to seal the valley and then contact El General and inform him that we're on our way."

_Sheriff's Office_

"Well, this sucks," Apacci moaned.

"Stop complaining," Sung-Sun said. "There's nothing we can do about it."

"HEY!" Mila Rose shouted. "Don't we get to have a lawyer or something?"

"NO!" Renji said.

"Shut up, Renji," Rukia said. She turned her attention back to Captain Kyoraku. "Are you sure my brother's alright?"

"He's fine. He's gone to the hotel while Ukitake and Unohana have gone to get the Officers."

"Are you sure it was the Kage no Tanken?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm sure. The three we took down had the red skull of the Aka Zugaikotsu tattooed in the webbing between their thumb and forefinger."

"That means nothing," Ichigo said.

"Are you still denying the facts?" Rukia asked. "The evidence is pointing to Starrk and the others telling the truth."

"NO!" Ichigo shouted. "I…will not…believe that the man who saved my life is a villain. As far as I'm concerned…THEY'RE the villains," he said and pointed at the Arrancars who were separated into the three holding cells.

"Wow, talk about bitchy. Here I thought Mila Rose was the biggest bitch around," Apacci said.

"What was that?" Mila Rose asked.

"You heard me, bitch."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Ichigo shouted. Silence fell in the room. Ichigo broke it by hitting his desk and he walked out. "I'm going out," Ichigo said. "If you want to believe them…then believe them. I CAN'T."

"Ichigo," Rukia said and was about to chase after him when Kyoraku grabbed her arm.

"Don't," Kyoraku said. "Let him go."

"But…" Rukia said.

"Tch, if you wanna go after him, then go after him," Renji said. "I won't stop you."

"Renji," she said shocked at the tone of anger in Renji's voice.

"You two got this covered," Renji said and he followed Ichigo out the door.

"What just happened?" Rukia asked.

"I think whatever turmoil they're going through just became too much for them," Kyoraku said.

_Sabaku Desert_

Ggio Vega looked over at Sui-Feng who was sitting apart from the others. He knew that she was looking at the picture of her father with Yoruichi, the two people she admired the most. He sighed and he spooned out some of the soup into a wooden bowl.

"Taking the prisoner her meal again?" Yylfordt asked.

"Yeah," Ggio said.

"Why?"

"Lord Baraggan wants her to witness the destruction of everything she holds dear. I'm just making sure she lives until then."

"Right," Yylfordt said as he ladled out his own bowl of soup. "I hope you don't get too crazy."

"Shut up," Ggio said and he made his way to Sui-Feng while Yylfordt only laughed.

She heard him approaching and she looked up.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Sheesh, I bring your meal and you act like a total bitch. I was hoping for a little bit of gratitude."

"Why should I show you any gratitude? Your boss had my subordinate killed in front of me and he's been boasting in my face about how the Gotei will fall and the Gensei Provinces will burn."

"Have I done any of that to you lately?"

"No," Sui-Feng said reluctantly.

"Anyways, here's your meal," he said and held out the bowl of soup to her. "You better eat up. We'll be moving out soon."

"Thanks," Sui-Feng said.

"So…Yoruichi Shihoin," he said. "I heard of her. How did your father get partnered up with her?"

"Well, they were assigned on the same mission while they were in the Gotei Training Program. She introduced him to my mother on that mission. He married my mother shortly after that mission and by that time they were both named officers in the Gotei. Then…then he came."

"Who?"

"Someone who made a mistake that cost my father his life and Yoruichi and him their place in the Gotei. I was 13 when it happened."

"What happened?"

"That's one thing that I can't talk about."

"I'm sorry," Ggio said.

"It's alright," Sui-Feng said. "So, why are you sitting here with me?"

"Someone has to keep an eye on you," Ggio said. "Lord Baraggan wouldn't want you running off."

"Liar," she said. "There's more to it, isn't there?"

"Guilty as charged," Ggio said.

"What is it?"

"I guess I like being around you."

Sui-Feng looked at the ground and smiled. It was the first time that anyone told her that they liked to be around her.

_Inoue Residence_

"I see," Orihime said. "So you think that Ulquiorra might be coming for me."

"It's possible," Uryu said. "I just want you to be careful."

"Thank you Uryu," Orihime said and smiled. "I'll be fine though. Isaac and Miria are here and they can keep an eye on me."

"Speaking of Isaac and Miria, where are they?" Uryu asked.

"Oh, they're out right now."

_Karakura Town_

"Hey Isaac."

"What is it, Miria my dear?"

"What kind of place do you think would be a great place to rob?"

"Hmm, let's see. Banks are done too many times and so there would be too much competition."

"Also, the banks like to rob from each other."

"Exactly, Miria my dear," Isaac said and then he stopped when he saw the Wanted posters. "Hey Miria, I think I found the perfect thing to rob."

"What is it, Isaac?"

"We'll rob…the Sheriff's Office. Think about it. When an outlaw escapes from prison, their bounty increases, right?"

"Well sure," Miria said.

"So, we help break a couple of outlaws. Then we blindfold them and lead them back into the prison. Collect the bounty and repeat it."

"THAT'S BRILLIANT!"

"I know."

"Excuse me," a monotonous voice said.

Isaac and Miria turned and saw a young man with an extremely pale face with unkempt black hair. He was dressed in black and wore a brooch of a silver bat with emerald eyes.

"WOW! Look at him, Miria, he's so gorgeous."

"I'll say."

"Are you an actor?" they both asked at once.

"No, I am not an actor," Ulquiorra said. "I understand that you are staying with Orihime Inoue."

"We sure are," Miria said.

"Do you know her?"

"I do," Ulquiorra said.

"Uh…you didn't hear what we were talking about, did you?" Isaac asked. "Because if you did…we'll uh…what were we gonna do, Miria?"

"Uh…tickle him?"

"That's right," Isaac said. "If you did, we'll have to tickle you."

"There is no need. I am here to talk to Orihime about breaking out some friends of mine from prison. I think we could use your…expertise."

_Karakura General_

Davis Murphy didn't know how long he had been up, but his head was killing him. He turned his head and saw Kisuke in the bed next to him.

"You're up."

Davis turned his head and saw Yoruichi walking towards him.

"My head…," he moaned.

"Here," she said. "Drink this. It will help."

She held the cup to his lips and Murphy sipped the tonic. His head throbbed, but the tonic was doing its work. He felt the headache subsiding, but he could barely move most of his body.

"What happened?" he asked.

"We were attacked," Yoruichi said.

"I guess we got too close to something," he said. "How's Kisuke?"

"He's doing fine. He's taking a nap right now. Ryuken was attacked too."

"How is he?"

"Isshin got to him on time. If Ryuken hadn't been bitten by a Death's Head Viper before, he wouldn't have made it."

Davis Murphy nodded. He knew that they were very lucky.

"I have something else to tell you," Yoruichi said. "Starrk and the Arrancars who were with him have been arrested. They're in custody right now."

"Are you going to try to break them out?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"I just wanted to make sure," he said with a smile. "When are you going to make the attempt?"

"Tomorrow night," Yoruichi said. "I want to make sure that Kisuke's alright before I head out."

_Karakura Town, 10 Years Before_

_"LET ME IN!" Kaname shouted as he struggled against the guards._

_"Sir, this was a Closed Session," one of the guards said. "The Chief Justices trying the case cannot answer any questions."_

_"This…this was a mockery. HE KILLED HER! HE KILLED HER!"_

_"Not according to Central 46," one of the guards said. "The word of Central 46 is absolute."_

_"This is a mockery to Justice. How dare they call themselves 'Justices?'" he asked._

_"Sir, be careful with what you say. Such outbursts could have you standing trial for treason."_

_"They are the traitors. They are traitors to Justice."_

_"That does it," the guard said and struck Kaname across the face. "You will not speak in such a manner about the Chief Justices. Now, get out before I lose my patience and brand you an Arrancar."_

_Kaname stood. He kept his fury down as he walked away._

_"My, that didn't go well for you," someone said._

_"Who are you?"_

_"My name is Gin Ichimaru. I understand that you knew the victim."_

_"I did. But, how did you know?"_

_"My employer is very interested in you, Mr. Tosen. Like you, he is a man who wishes for Justice to be done."_

_"Justice…today I can't believe in it."_

_"If you decide that you can no longer believe in Justice than those who despise it have won. If no one can believe in Justice, then who will make sure that those who do wrong are punished and those who do right are rewarded?"_

_"Central 46 is supposed to stand up for Justice and they didn't."_

_"That's because money was exchanged."_

_Kaname stiffened when he heard that._

_"What?"_

_"Money exchanged hands. I don't know who took the money, but whoever it was made a mockery of everything you and she stood for. Don't you want to make sure that Justice is done?"_

_"I do."_

_"Then, come with me."_

_Tosen did._

_Central 46 Rotunda_

Tosen woke from the memory and rubbed his head. He sighed as he sat back and looked at the phone. He got up and paced the office. His feet knew the layout of the office and he obeyed their movement. He went to the window and opened it and allowed the cool evening breeze to brush against his face.

He knew that tomorrow Central 46 would begin their Closed Council. During those two days leading up to Día de los Muertos, Central 46 would be locked in the Central Chamber to meditate on the year past and what they hoped to accomplish in the year ahead.

He heard the phone on his desk ringing. He knew that it would be from one of the other three. He sighed and picked it up.

_Sabaku Desert_

Luppi looked ahead and saw Grimmjow discussing something with Shawlong. He wondered what Grimmjow was discussing with his Fraccion as well as why he would go out so many times. When Luppi asked about it to Di Roy, Di Roy only said that it was because Grimmjow had to go use the privy and to mind his own business. If Grimmjow went out three times a day, Luppi would believe that it was just going to take a shit or piss. However, Luppi noticed that Grimmjow was going out at least five times a day. For him, that was more than just a shit or piss.

"What are you up to?" he asked aloud.

"Alright, listen up," Baraggan said. "We're in the Borderlands and Aizen left me in charge of our little…party. He left a set of instructions. Zommari, you and Aaroniero are to ride ahead to Karakura Town."

"Should I take my Fraccion?" Zommari asked.

"Of course," Baraggan said and handed Zommari an envelope. "These are your instructions. You are to follow them, but other than that feel free to do whatever."

"Thank you," Zommari said. "I shall not fail Lord Aizen."

"Fucking kiss-ass," Aaroniero rasped.

"Now get going," Baraggan said. "Aisslinger, you and Luppi are to make sure that only Arrancars who are addicted get Brujería and Amor. You are not to sell to any of the Borderlanders or Gotei."

"I understand," Aisslinger said.

"Fine, whatever," Luppi said and sighed.

"That's all I have for now," Baraggan said.

Luppi yawned and then looked over at Grimmjow. Luppi was surprised to see that Grimmjow was just sitting by the fire, but then he noticed that Edorad wasn't there. He looked around and saw Edorad walking a far ways off. He noticed that Edorad was walking west, the same direction that Grimmjow sometimes did when he didn't walk east.

He shook his head. It could be coincidence, but he would keep a close eye on them. He knew that if they continued doing that each day, then something was going on. He would find out what it was and act accordingly.

_Inoue Residence_

"We're back," Isaac said.

"Oh, just in time," Orihime said. "Supper's ready. Tonight it's broccoli with marshmallows over chicken with red bean jam and chocolate."

"Sounds delicious," Miria said.

"Oh, while we were walking, we encountered an old friend of yours. I hope you didn't mind if we brought him over."

"Not at all," Orihime said. "I'll just set another place at the table. It's always nice whenever one of my friends come over."

"I hope you mean that, Little Girl," Ulquiorra said as he stepped into the apartment.

Orihime straightened and turned to face him. Ulquiorra bowed slightly.

"What…what are you doing here?"

"I am here for your assistance. Ichigo Kurosaki did not react the way we hoped. Will you help us?"

"Of course," Orihime said. "What do I need to do?"

_Karakura River_

Ichigo Kurosaki walked the streets alone. He knew that he behaved like a child, but he couldn't help it. Seeing those Arrancars brought too many painful memories back. Not just memories of Orihime being captured and kept locked away in Las Noches, but also memories that preceded those. He came to the Karakura River and looked into the water. He sighed as he sat down.

"Those fools," he whispered. "Don't they understand you can't trust an Arrancar?"

He picked up a smooth stone and threw it. He watched as it skipped across the river's surface, creating ripples. He found himself glad that Orihime hadn't been there to see him act like that and yet he regretted that Rukia saw him act like that. Even after what she told him about them, he couldn't bring himself to trust them. He couldn't let go of the past.

_Pinkerton Agency Offices_

Tsukishima looked at what he wrote and smiled. Tomorrow, things would fall into place. Gin Ichimaru already informed him that most of the bankers were in a panic, but were pretending to their clients that everything was alright. He smiled. Everything was on course. Even the message he received from Aizen in Fort Seireitei were favorable. Most of the Captains were currently away and they were receiving reports from various Gotei outposts that men were collapsing from withdrawal, especially in the Borderlands.

He looked at the phone he used to contact Kaname earlier. He reached for it and then thought of something. He reached for his list and looked at it. He knew that Kisuke Urahara, Ryuken Ishida, and Miles Davis would not be of any use and so he crossed out their names. He crossed out the name of Yamamoto since he was safely in Aizen's clutches. He looked at the remaining names and smiled. He could easily cross out the names of Starrk and Harribel, but something told him not to count them out yet; at least, not until they were safely hanging from a rope, which they would be in a couple of days. He looked at the remaining names and then opened the files he had on each of them. He smiled as a new plan came into his mind.

He smiled as he picked up the phone and dialed Hanza Nukui's number.

_Fort Seireitei_

Aizen sat down with the Plateado Brothers. Mordred sipped at a glass of brandy while Arturos only looked at his glass of wine.

"What do you think of the plan?" Aizen asked.

"It's risky," Arturo said. "However, it was a good idea to cut the phone lines in Yamamoto's office and in the other Captains' offices. The rest can be easily monitored by your insiders."

"The same holds true for the telegraph offices," Mordred said. "I already have a couple of fellows monitoring them as well."

"Excellent," Aizen said. "Communication is the key to our success, or rather our control of communication."

"I heard you had a close call," Arturo said.

"Yes, apparently five minutes after Yamamoto and I left to be briefed on the little…mishap that the Captains heading to Karakura Town had, another call came in from Captain Kyoraku."

"That means that the Kage no Tanken failed," Mordred said.

"Only in so far as killing their targets," Arturo said. "However, they did cause a very useful diversion and they delayed the Captains long enough to keep the plans on track."

_Precipice Mountains_

The explosion rang throughout the darkening sky. Kenpachi raised a hand and the line stopped. He looked around, but the growing night made it difficult to see anything. However, he could barely make out a pillar of dust ahead. He gritted his teeth.

"Damn it," he growled. "We'll stop here for now. I want us…GET DOWN!" he shouted.

Gunshots began to ring out, but something wasn't right. However, all that they knew was that they were being fired at.

"DON'T FIRE," Kenpachi roared. "We don't want to waste ammo."

That was when he realized what was wrong. Whoever was firing at them was aiming to miss.

"It's a diversion," Ikkaku said. "Sir, they're not shooting at us. They're trying to pin us down."

"I know," Kenpachi whispered.

Then the firing stopped. Kenpachi looked around and then the night erupted in another explosion. He looked at the pass they traveled through and saw boulders falling and blocking the path.

"Damn it," he whispered. "Ikkaku, Yumichika, see if we can get the horses over that rockslide. "Seizo, contact Maki-Maki and inform him to be on the lookout."

"Yes sir," Seizo said as he dismounted and took the field telephone off his back.

"Kenny," Yachiru whispered and looked up at him. "What just happened?"

"We've just been made a fool of," Kenpachi said. "Damn it, someone got their information wrong."

_Desatoya Mountains_

"Sir, we got word from Rudobon. Alejo successfully diverted a force of Gotei soldiers and they're now making their way north."

"Good," Skullak said as he put on his helmet made from the skull of a bull with one horn shattered and the other with a long crack running down its length. "Alright men, let's get moving."

The other Exequias got onto their horses and began to ride through the Desatoya Mountains and into the Borderlands.

_Karakura Town, 11 Years Before_

_"So," she said. "Have you found a girlfriend yet?"_

_"Not really," Kaname said. "Have you found a boyfriend yet?"_

_"As a matter of fact, I have."_

_"Really? Of course, I shouldn't really be surprised."_

_"Why, are you jealous or something?"_

_"Oh please," he said. "You know that jealousy is simply a sign of weakness."_

_"Yet you love me."_

_"Of course, you're the only woman I'll ever truly love…just not in that manner."_

_"I should hope not. So, why are you incapable of loving another woman?"_

_"I wouldn't say I'm incapable of loving another woman. It's just that…"_

_"Look, if you're gay that's fine."_

_"It's not that," Kaname said. "It's just that I don't know how to truly fall in love…in that way. I don't even think it's real love."_

_"Ah, I see. You think that just because they're not me then you can't love them. However, you're right about something. Truly loving someone is more than just sex or anything like that. True love is about the connection between people."_

_"I don't follow."_

_"My instructor, Ukitake, says that a bond forms when two people meet each other. He said that true love is when that bond becomes so strong that nothing can break it. He says that when we fight, we fight to protect others and our pride. However, when you get down to it, we all fight for one thing."_

_"What's that?"_

_"We fight to protect those we love, whether that love's in the form of friendship or family or more of an erotic love, it doesn't matter. Love is love. Do you understand?"_

_"Not really," Kaname said._

_"Well, I hope I'm there when you do."_

_Karakura Town_

Dawn came to Karakura Town.

Kaname Tosen made his way through the streets.

"'Love is love,'" he whispered and then shook his head. "There's none of that in me."

He made his way to the graveyard and stood over the grave. Thoughts whirled through his mind. In the distance a bell began to ring and he knew that in a couple of hours he would have to go to the Central 46 Rotunda. However, for now, it was just him and her.

"I'm back," he said and knelt by her grave.

_Karakura Hotel_

Unohana got up from the bed and pulled open the curtains. She looked at her Lieutenant who was in the other bed, still fast asleep. She smiled as Isane moaned something about the Kukkapuuro King coming to take her away. She would make sure that Isane didn't see that Kukkapuuro was on the menu.

There was a knock on the door. Unohana got up and put on a kimono over her night dress.

"Who is it?"

"It's me," Ukitake's voice said from the other side of the door.

Unohana smiled and she opened the door. Ukitake stood outside in his dark pants and white shirt. He looked at her and his face turned slightly crimson.

"Well, this is a surprise," she said. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"Well…I wanted to tell you 'Good Morning,'" he said and brought out a bouquet of flowers from behind his back.

"Bellflowers, my favorite," she said as she took the bouquet. "Thank you," she said.

"It's to thank you for yesterday," he said.

"It's part of my duty."

"I know, but I…I…"

"You're welcome," she said and gave him a peck on the cheek.

She giggled as she saw his face go even redder. Then Ukitake did something that she had been hoping he would do for some time. He wrapped her in an embrace and kissed her on the mouth. She didn't mind and returned his kiss. When he broke away, he looked into her eyes and smiled.

"That's in case I don't get another chance," he said.

"I understand," Unohana said.

"Well, I'm glad to see you two finally did it," someone said and applauded. They turned and saw Kyoraku smiling at them as he clapped his hands. "I must say that's a fine way to greet each other in the morning."

"Kyoraku…how long…?" Ukitake asked.

"Oh I got here right as Captain Unohana was saying, 'Bellflowers, my favorite,'" he said and smirked. "Anyways, I came here to tell ya. Toshiro and Rangiku rode in last night. They're downstairs and they want to hear what we have to say."

_Sheriff's Office_

Ichigo walked in and saw Rukia slumped over her desk. However, he didn't see Renji anywhere close. He looked at the three holding cells and saw that the Arrancars were asleep. He looked at the last one and saw that the little girl was fast asleep on the cot. Starrk's duster was on top of her like a blanket.

He looked and saw Starrk sitting in the corner, looking at him.

"Good morning," Starrk said and yawned. "Did you have a good night's sleep?"

"Why should you care?" Ichigo growled.

"It's because I find that a good night's sleep helps to put me in a better mood the next day."

"Look, I'm…I'm sorry…for upsetting the little girl."

"You made her cry and I don't like it when someone makes Lilynette cry."

"I guess I wouldn't like it if someone made my little sisters cry," Ichigo said.

"In that case, we have something in common," Starrk said and he looked over at Rukia. "You should apologize to her. She was really hurt by what you did yesterday."

Ichigo looked over at Rukia and sighed. He knew that he hurt her the other day, but to have Starrk point that out was like having salt poured into an open wound. He looked at Starrk and saw that he was sitting on the cot and was stroking Lilynette's hair and humming softly.

"Orihime told me that I should trust you guys. I want to know why she said that."

"I couldn't tell you that," Starrk said. "Only Orihime could tell you. Did you think of asking her?"

"I…I did, but I…I just didn't listen."

"Bel told me once," Starrk said and looked over to the cell next to him where Harribel and Sung-Sun were still asleep, "that when a man asks a woman something, he should always be willing to listen. Orihime's a good girl. From the way she talked about you, she has feelings for you. Yet I can tell that Rukia has feelings for you as well."

"How do you know that?"

"I've seen the way Rukia acts when she's around you and how she talks about you. It's the same way Harribel was when she started to chase after me."

"I'm sure that you had plenty of women chase after you," Ichigo said.

"That's true, but wolves are usually monogamous by nature. When we mate, we mate for life. Harribel was the only one for me and I knew it from the very beginning. The problem is that I'm too much of a coward to admit it to her. So, between Orihime and Rukia, who do you like?"

"I don't really know," Ichigo said. "I guess…I never really thought about it. But, I'm curious about something. How did you know what Orihime thought about me?"

"After we escaped from Karakura Town four months ago, some of us holed up in an abandoned cabin," Starrk said. "That was a dark time. I wasn't sure if Harribel would make it, but then Captain Unohana and Orihime came. For a couple of days, we just waited to see how things would go and we all got talking. That's how I got to know her. I didn't have much contact with her when she was our prisoner."

"So you admit that she was your prisoner," Ichigo said.

"She was. The same as I am your prisoner now," Starrk said. "Ulquiorra was her guardian then and he rarely let anyone see her. Of course, he said he was under Aizen's orders, but I think a part of him was afraid that she would get hurt."

"She was hurt," Ichigo said. "She was beaten and bruised when I rescued her. Remembering that…

"I understand," Starrk said. "I would be angry at anyone who dared to hurt someone I cared for."

"Another thing we have in common," Ichigo whispered as he walked over to Rukia's desk. He looked at her sleeping over her desk and a wave of guilt came over him. "I'm sorry," he said and brushed a strand of her black hair away from her face. She moved a little and let out a small sigh. Her eyes began to open and she straightened.

"I must have fallen asleep," she said and then she stiffened when she saw Ichigo. "Oh…Ichigo…I'm sorry sir. I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"It's alright," Ichigo said. "I should be the one to say 'sorry.' I acted like a complete asshole yesterday, and I'm sorry."

"Well, at least you admitted it," Rukia said. "Where's Renji?"

"I don't know," Ichigo said. "I'll go look for him. You just stay here and keep an eye on them."

As Ichigo went out, he did not see the shadowy figure of Hanza Nukui follow him.

_Central 46 Rotunda_

Chief Justice Iustitia walked towards the double doors of the Rotunda. The other members of Central 46 were already gathering for the annual Closed Council. He nodded to one of the Pinkerton Agents who would be guarding the doors to make sure that no one entered without permission.

He saw Chief Justice Tosen talking with one of the other Chief Justices.

"Ah, Chief Justice Iustitia," the other Chief Justice said and bowed.

"Good morning, Chief Justice Dylan and Chief Justice Tosen."

"Good morning, Chief Justice Iustitia," Tosen said as he picked up his bag. "I'm glad that you could make it. I heard a rumor that you were a little bit ill."

"I would never miss this," Iustitia said. "I wouldn't miss a Closed Council meeting if I was on my death bed."

"I hear ya," Dylan said and laughed. "It's one of the only times that all of Central 46 is actually forced to gather. I hope that the two replacements know that."

"I'm sure they do," Kaname said. The bells began to ring.

"That's our signal to begin the Closed Council," Iustitia said.

"Yes, it is," Kaname said as Central 46 made their way into the Central Chamber.

_Outside Central 46 Rotunda_

"Damn it Renji, where are you?" Ichigo asked.

He stopped when he heard moaning coming from one of the alleys. He saw a pair of feet sticking out of the shadows and he rushed over.

"Renji?" he asked, but stopped when he saw the figure.

It wasn't Renji. The last time he checked Renji didn't have blonde hair; nor did he have a habit of continually biting his lower lip. He looked at Shinji Hirako, the head of the Visored Squad, sprawled out in the alley.

"Shinji, what happened?" Ichigo asked.

"I happened," someone said and before Ichigo could react he felt something hard hit his head. "Good night, sweet prince," Hanza Nukui said and he looked up as the bells signaling the beginning of the Closed Council began. "Well, time to get to work."

_Central Chamber, Central 46 Rotunda_

"Attention," the Minister of the Rotunda said. "This Closed Council is now in session."

Kaname Tosen sat back in his chair. He knew that the time was near. When he received the call the evening before from Tsukishima, he knew what had to be done. Now, things were going according to the plan that Tsukishima laid out for him.

"Chief Justice Iustitia, would you please give your address to your fellow Chief Justices?"

"I will be honored," Chief Justice Iustitia said and he approached the central podium. He cleared his throat when he began. "As you know, the day after tomorrow is Día de los Muertos, when we honor those who have lost their lives in the service of the Gensei Provinces. Each year, all of Central 46 gathers for the Closed Council in which we reflect on the past year and on the year to come. As you know, our main obligation is…"

"…FOR JUSTICE," Kaname shouted and he stood up.

Chief Justice Iustitia looked at him and murmurs of surprise rose from the others. The Minister of the Rotunda got up from his seat next to the podium.

"Tosen," he said. "This is unheard of. No one has ever dared to disturb the…"

"I dare to now," Kaname said. "Chief Justice Iustitia, wouldn't you say that our main priority is to ensure that Justice is kept throughout the Gensei Provinces?"

"Of course I would," Iustitia said.

"Would you say that you kept to it over the course of your career?"

"I would."

"What's this all about?" one of the Chief Justices asked.

Kaname only ignored him and he allowed one hand to travel to his bag. He could hear footsteps outside and knew that the time had come.

"Do you remember a case that came before you ten years ago? It was a case where a young woman was killed by her fiancé."

"I…I don't recall."

"You do recall," Kaname said. "I remember it. I know full well that you did not keep your oath to uphold Justice."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about what the defendant told me…before I carried out his actual sentence."

_Fort Seireitei, 8 Years Before_

_He waited for him. The man came out of the bar, drunk as he was the night he dared to kill her. Kaname waited a while before stepping out from the shadows of the alley._

_"Good evening," Kaname said._

_"What's good 'bout it?" he asked in a slurred voice._

_"Well, you're getting married tomorrow, right?"_

_"How'd you know?"_

_"Did you get into a brawl in there?"_

_"Yeah, but at least…at least dis time I don't have to kill no one."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Tch...da last time I got married my fiancé gave me shit about getting into a…into a fight and…and…and…"_

_"And you killed the man?"_

_"Damn right I killed him. He was gonna kill me…at least dat's what I told de judge. She gave me shit so I…I killed her. Fucking bitch deserved it for giving me shit."_

_"How did you get off?"_

_"How'd I get off? Daddy's got money…lots a money. He paid da judge off."_

_"I see. What was this judge's name?"_

_"Let's see here it was…it was…Eustace? No, dat ain't it. Constance? No, dat ain't it either. Iustitia? Yeah, dat's it. Iustitia… a very smart man to take the payment. Say, you look familiar. Have we met before?"_

_"We did. I have one last question for you. Do you feel guilty for killing your fiancé?"_

_"Fuck no," he said and snorted. "I ain't feel sorry for it. Bitch had it coming for giving me shit."_

_"I see."_

_"Ya know…I can't quite put my finger on it. But ya look familiar."_

_"I should," Kaname said. "I was close to your fiancé. The one you murdered," he said and pulled out the revolver. _

_"Dat's right," the other man said. "She told me about you. Another reason why I'm glad I killed her. She probably fucked you. I ain't gonna marry no whore. I'm glad she dead. I'm glad I got away with it. You fucked her so I fucked your own mistress. What's her name again?"_

"_Justice," he said._

_"Dat's right," the other man said. "So…whatcha gonna do 'bout it?"_

_"This," Kaname said and brought out the revolver from his jacket pocket and fired three shots into the man's chest. The other man fell back, still alive. Kaname didn't hear anyone coming and so approached the man on the ground. "For Justice," he said and fired one bullet into the dying man's head._

_"Well done," Aizen said as he stepped from the shadows. "I was right in thinking that you would go through with it."_

_"He made a mockery of Justice," Kaname said. "Now, I have one more name to cross off."_

_"You will, but you'll have to wait for that. I know of a way to make sure that everyone pays for daring to make a mockery of Justice," Aizen said and put a hand on Kaname's shoulder. "They'll all pay for shattering her dreams."_

_Central 46 Rotunda_

"Do you understand now, Iustitia? All of you dared to make a mockery of Justice and now you must pay the price."

"What are you…?" the Minister of the Rotunda began when Kaname put a bullet in his head.

Screams filled the chamber as the other Chief Justices got up. However, at that moment, the doors burst open and the Pinkerton Agents whom Tsukishima had standing watch outside burst in and began to open fire.

"Kaname, what are you doing?" one of the two replacement Chief Justices asked. "This wasn't part of the deal."

"Change of plans," Kaname said and shot the Chief Justice in the throat.

Kaname walked down the steps to the floor. He occasionally shot one of the other Chief Justices, but the agents were making quick work of the others. The air in the chamber was filled with the aroma of gun-smoke and blood. The agents spread throughout the rest of the chamber and picked off any of the Chief Justices who weren't quite dead. Kaname made his way to where Chief Justice Iustitia still stood.

"What…have you done?" he gasped.

"I made sure that Justice will be served," Tosen said and raised the revolver.

"Is this Justice?"

"It is," Tosen said. "You could have avoided this if you turned down the bribe."

Iustitia couldn't say anything to that. Instead, he lowered his head and closed his eyes.

"Taking that bribe is the one thing I regret. After that, I tried my best to uphold my principals."

"I know," Tosen said. "But that doesn't change the fact that you spit on her grave when you accepted that bribe," he said and pulled the trigger.

"I take it that's everyone," Hanza Nukui said as he came in.

"So it would seem," one of the agents said.

"Hmm, not quite," Hanza said and he counted. "I would say that there are about seven left."

"What are you talking about?" one of the other agents asked. "We got them all."

"Oh…all of the Chief Justices are dead, but…"

Hanza Nukui turned to the agent and shot him. The other agents were too surprised to do much of anything. Hanza Nukui smiled as he shot them all down and then he turned to Kaname.

"What is this?" Tosen asked, surprised.

"Change of plans," Hanza said and shot him.

Tosen felt the bullet pierce him and he fell back. He was gasping and groaning. He heard another pair of footsteps come in.

"Tsukishima," he gasped.

"I'm sorry, Tosen," Tsukishima said. "However, it would look too suspicious if one Chief Justice came out of this alive. Nukui, are the agents I sent here taken care of?"

"Yes sir," Hanza said. "I made sure that people will think they died heroes."

"Good," Tsukishima said and he pulled out his own revolver.

"What are you doing?" Hanza asked.

"Giving you a new assignment," he said and pulled the trigger. Hanza Nukui looked surprised. "Come on, you should have known something was up when I came in wearing gloves and boots."

"Bastard," Hanza gasped before falling to the floor.

"Tsukishima, why?" Tosen gasped.

"Call it, 'Tying up loose ends,'" Tsukishima said and aimed the revolver at Tosen.

_Karakura Town, 12 Years Before_

_"I heard the good news," Kaname said. "You got into the Gotei Training Program."_

_"I did," she said. "I also heard that you got into the Academy of Law. Congratulations, Kaname."_

_"Thanks," Kaname said and smiled. "Just think about it, we'll both be doing what we wanted."_

_"I'm glad that you kept that enthusiasm."_

_"Do you remember that promise we made each other when we were kids?"_

_"Yeah, I do. Now, we've fulfilled it."_

_"Yes, but…let's renew it."_

_"Alright, you remember where to go?"_

_"Of course I do: the old tree on the hill."_

_"That's right," she said. "I'll see you there later tonight."_

_Central 46 Rotunda_

Tsukishima fired the revolver and the bullet struck Kaname in the chest. He knew that it would only be a matter of time now before Kaname died, but he wanted to make sure that things looked the way he wanted them to. That demanded that some of the shots looked hasty. He looked around and he smiled.

"Now then, time to put out the 'evidence'," he said and reached into his coat pocket.

He walked over to Hanza's corpse and knelt beside it. He brought out a folded sheet of paper and put it in one pocket with one corner sticking out far enough to be seen, but not too far as to look suspicious. He got up and looked down at the body. He turned and was careful to step in the growing pools of blood.

"You should have noticed this too, Hanza," he said and looked down at the boots that were a little too small for him. He made sure to leave bloody boot prints. "Now, one last thing," he said and dropped the revolver. He then ran down the corridor, making sure that the bloody boot-prints matched what he wanted seen: a hasty get-away. He smiled as he reached into his pocket and brought out one last item and he let it drop from his gloved hand.

He stopped and looked back. A trail of faint bloody boot-prints followed until they stopped about five steps behind him. He smiled and he took off the boots. He walked over to one of the columns and brought out the bag he hid. He put the boots inside and brought out his own shoes. He looked at his watch and smiled.

He got up and slung the bag over his shoulder. From far off, he could hear the double doors in the entryway open. Three pairs of footsteps came in and Tsukishima smiled as he walked to the backdoor.

"It's show-time," he whispered and walked out into the early afternoon.

_Karakura Town, 12 Years Before_

_Kaname stood under the tree. The light of the sunset beat against his face and a warm breeze blew against him. She stood with him and they both placed their hands on the tree._

_"Do you want to go first?"_

_"No, you can go first," he said._

_20 Years Before_

_"If you insist," the girl said._

_"I insist," the boy said._

_"No, let's do it together."_

_"Count of three?"_

_"One…"_

_"Two…"_

_"Three," they said at the same time._

_"I swear upon this tree to do whatever I can to do what is right and noble. We, Kaname and Sarah Tosen promise this. We swear to do all things for Justice."_

_The two finished and looked at each other._

_"Thanks for doing this with me, Brother," Sarah Tosen said._

_"I'm glad I did, Sis," Kaname Tosen said._

_In the distance they heard their mother yelling that supper was ready. The two looked at each other and smiled. Hand-in-hand, they ran home._

_Central 46 Rotunda_

He felt his life leaving him. Coldness swept through his body. From far off, he could hear voices. He heard running footsteps coming his way.

"Holy shit," one of them cried out. "Mizuiro get Ichigo here. Keigo, I need you to go back to the Pinkerton Agency and get the Investigation Force and find those Officers from Fort Seireitei. I'll stay here and secure the scene and make sure that you don't step in those prints. They're evidence."

"Whatever you say, Tatsuki," one of the others said.

"Damn, what happened here?" Tatsuki asked herself.

She then noticed Tosen on the ground and the shallow motion of his chest. She rushed to him and knelt beside him.

"Chief Justice," she said. "Hang on. I'm gonna get help."

He tried to speak, but the girl was already rushing out and calling for one of the other two to get the doctors over. He closed his eyes and he could see…

_Karakura Town, 10 Years Before_

_…his sister's lying in the coffin. Her revolvers are crossed beneath her hands on top of her chest. He can only stand there as the ceremony is done. He remembered that night they made their vow to do whatever they could to uphold Justice and now Justice was at stake._

_He approached her coffin and knelt beside it._

_"Sis," he said. "I have a new vow to make."_

_Karakura Town, Early That Morning_

_"I'm back," Tosen said as he knelt beside the grave._

_"I know it's been a few days since I've visited you. I have something I need to do," he said and laid the bouquet of flowers on her grave and he traced the name SARAH TOSEN that was engraved in the stone. "I have to complete the vow I made to you. There's only one person left and I must make him pay. I have to do this…"_

_Central 46 Rotunda_

"…for Justice."

_"No," _his sister's voice answered and he could feel her hand in his, "_for Justice and Mercy and Love, Brother. Do you understand? Without those three things, you're not truly fighting for what's right."_

"I understand…Sis," Tosen said and he smiled as her face came into view.

_I see. I can see you,_ he thought.

Then everything went black.

**End of Chapter 9**

**A.N.: This chapter was a hard one to write. Originally, I was going to have Tosen slaughter Central 46 at the end of Chapter 7. However, I wanted to get Tosen's backstory in before I killed him off (yes, Tosen is dead), and so decided to hold off until Chapter 9. I'm glad I did. I didn't want to stray too far from Tosen's backstory as it appeared in the manga since it was extremely tragic and I felt that it gave Aizen the right tools to use to get Tosen on his side.**

**So, two parts of Aizen's plot have now come about: the theft of a large supply of the Gensei Provinces gold reserves to cause the bankers to panic and the slaughter of Central 46. However, what does Tsukishima have planned? What is Ulquiorra's plan to get Starrk and the others out of prison? What is Yoruichi's plan to do the same thing? What will happen in the Borderlands? These questions will be revealed in Chapter 10.**

**Thank you for reading and please review.**


	10. Chapter 10: The Sacrificial Lambs

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 10: The Sacrificial Lambs**

_Karakura River_

Renji didn't know where he was going.

He only knew that he couldn't face Rukia. He practically admitted that he loved her. However, to have an Arrancar…no…AN ESPADA point it out was just too much for him to handle. He barely noticed the people around him. He stopped at the banks of the Karakura River and looked out over its glimmering surface.

"Who am I kidding?" he asked himself. "She likes Ichigo so why should I even bother?"

_You bother because you love her and you don't want to regret never telling her yourself._

"RENJI!" someone cried out.

He turned and saw Rukia coming towards him.

"Rukia, what are you doing here?"

"Listen, I just got word from Mizuiro and…and something bad happened."

"What is it?"

"Not here," she said and looked around. "People might panic."

"What are you talking about?"

"Renji, we…we have a situation."

_Karakura Hotel_

"ARE YOU SURE?" Sentaro and Kiyone cried out.

"I'm sure," Keigo said. "All of Central 46 was just…massacred."

"This is not good," Hitsugaya said.

"Hanataro, I need you to get Isshin Kurosaki," Unohana said. "He might find something. Make sure he doesn't go to the Pinkerton Agency."

"Uh…why wouldn't he go to the Pinkerton Agency?" Keigo asked.

"Mr. Asano, we have reason to believe that the Pinkerton Agency has been infiltrated by Shadow Lurker," Ukitake said.

"That's impossible," Keigo said and laughed, but he fell silent when he saw that none of the others were laughing. "Why do you say that?"

"It's because members of Kage no Tanken ambushed our train," Kyoraku said. "The only agency that we know that has access to all Privatized Squads is the Pinkerton Agency."

_Central 46 Rotunda_

"What do you think happened here?"

Tatsuki turned and saw Tsukishima walking towards her.

"Well, sir," she said. "The best I can tell is that persons unknown broke into the Central Chamber. The guards who we stationed here were probably taken by surprise, but…"

"What is it?"

"Well, why were the guards in here?"

"Hmm, that is a good question," Tsukishima said. _Yes, I knew that you would think that was odd. Now, let's see if you reach the conclusion I want you to reach._ "What do you think, Miss Arisawa?"

"Why are you asking me, sir?"

"It's because you're a new recruit and fresher eyes have a way of seeing things that older eyes miss. So, why do you think they were in here?"

"The massacre was already taking place," Tatsuki said. "That would mean that someone who had access to the Central Chamber before the Closed Council began."

_Good._

"What about this one here?" Tsukishima asked and pointed to Hanza Nukui.

"Probably an accomplice," Tatsuki said. "He had the mark of Kage no Tanken on him and he had something in his pocket. However, I didn't touch it in case Sheriff Kurosaki needed for everything to be the same way as we found it."

"That's good. Where is Sheriff Kurosaki?"

"I sent Mizuiro to find him. Keigo is getting the Gotei Officers who arrived yesterday."

_Hmm, that might be a problem, but then again…_

"Yes, the Gotei will need to be informed of the situation. I'll contact them about this. In the meantime, I want you to secure the scene and make sure that the civilians don't find out about this. If anyone asks, just give them an excuse. We wouldn't want to cause a panic; especially since Día de los Muertos is approaching."

"I understand, sir," Tatsuki said. "We might be able to get leads on who's responsible. This one was definitely Kage no Tanken," she said and pointed at Hanza Nukui. "However, someone got sloppy. There were a series of boot prints that we can use and a weapon and…this," she said and held up the final item that Tsukishima dropped: a silver cigarette case engraved with a diamond with two crossed revolvers in the center.

"Is that…?" Tsukishima asked, although he already knew what it was.

"It is," Tatsuki said. "It must belong to someone who at least served in the Gotei."

_Sheriff's Office_

Renji rushed to the desk and looked over at the prisoners. They were all present and accounted for so they were not responsible for whatever happened. Rukia didn't tell him much on the way over except that something happened at the Central 46 Rotunda.

"What's going on?" he asked aloud. "First, two Chief Justices were murdered and now something else has happened."

"Excuse me, but what are you talking about?"

He turned and saw Apacci leaning forward, hands pressed against the bar.

"What's it to you?" Renji snarled.

"Well, you're talking to yourself," Apacci said. "That either means that something really serious has happened or you're going insane."

"Apacci, just let him be," Harribel said.

"Yes ma'am," Apacci said and she backed away from the bars to slouch against the wall.

"So, what is going on?" Starrk asked from where he sat.

"I don't know," Renji snapped. "And I sure as Hell ain't telling you. Here," he said and tossed a newspaper from his desk to him. "Read this if you want to know."

"Thanks," Starrk said and he reached to where the folded newspaper fell.

"Whatever," Renji said. "Now you be good li'l doggies and stay until I get back. If you behave, I'll give you a treat," Renji said and laughed as he left.

"What a fucking asshole," Apacci snarled.

"No shit," Mila Rose said. "What's his problem?"

"It's hard to say," Sung-Sun said as she looked out the barred window. "At any rate, something must be going on for him not to pull his gun on you."

"Oh shut up, Sung-Sun," Apacci sighed.

"Well, what does it say?" Lilynette asked Starrk who was busy reading the paper.

"Not much," Starrk said as he read the paper and tossed it aside. "Alright, so we know that something's going and Ichigo won't trust us."

"Yeah," Harribel said. "But that Rukia girl seems to have a level-head on her shoulders."

"I agree. We know that at least Captain Kyoraku is here so we have an ally in him at least. Also, Ulquiorra is still on the loose. However we can't exactly do much where we are," Starrk said and looked over at Lilynette. "Did you tell Ulquiorra the back-up plan in case we needed to use it?"

"I did," Lilynette said and smiled. "I'm sure he's going over it with Orihime even as we speak."

_Alley_

Ichigo groaned as he sat up. His vision was slightly blurred, but it was clearing up. However, his head felt as though someone was pounding it with a sledge hammer.

"Shit," he moaned and rubbed his head.

"Are you alright, Ichigo?" Shinji asked.

He looked at him and gave the so-so gesture with his left hand as his right continued to rub his head.

"Yeah," Ichigo said. "Except that my head feels like a ton of rocks crashed on it. So, how did you end up here?"

"I'm not really sure," Shinji said. "One moment I'm walking to Visored Headquarters and then I hear a noise coming from here. The next thing I know…POW! Lights out. Then, I wake up to see your ugly face close to me."

"I was looking for Renji when I heard you moaning. Then someone hits me on the head and I'm waking up here."

"Come on, I'm sure that your deputies are worried about you," Shinji said as he pulled Ichigo from the dirt. They walked out of the alley when someone shouted to them.

"THERE YOU ARE, DUMBASS!"

They turned and saw Hiyori leaping in the air sideways. Her feet made contact with Shinji's face and he was sent flying backwards. He got up, clutching his bleeding nose.

"OW! WHAT THE HELL?"

"We've been looking everywhere for you, Dumbass," Hiyori said and looked at Ichigo. "Rukia came by to see if we saw you. Apparently something's happened. You both need to get your asses to the Central 46 Rotunda right now. She already sent Chad to talk with Xcution and they should be there by now."

Ichigo looked at Shinji. He saw that Shinji was also thinking the same thing.

"Hiyori, what happened?" Shinji asked.

_Fort Seireitei_

Aizen read the message that Tsukishima sent and smiled.

"Make sure no one else sees this," he said and handed it back to the dark-haired man at the telegram.

"Yes sir," the soldier said. "Would that be all, Lord Aizen?"

"No," Aizen said. "Send a message to Tsukishima. Tell him to take care of the rest of Kage no Tanken. They've served their purpose."

"Yes sir," the soldier replied.

"Then I want you to send a false note to Yamamoto informing him that Central 46 has come to a decision about Los Lobos and his companions. You know what to say."

"Yes sir," the soldier said as he rolled the actual message into a ball and threw it into the stove. Aizen smiled as he watched the paper burn. Soon, the Gensei Provinces would burn as well.

_Fort Kusajishi_

Captain Amagai walked through the rows of cots. He was disturbed at the number of soldiers who were going through withdrawal. Whatever they had been on must have been extremely strong and addictive.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath. "How could this have happened?"

"Sir," Lieutenant Kibune said. "I'm afraid that we lost another four men."

"I see," Amagai whispered and bowed his head. So far they had lost ten men to severe withdrawal from whatever drug they were on. He had seen men go through withdrawal from morphine and heroin and cocaine, but in those cases, death was extremely rare. However, with whatever drug they were facing, the fatality rate of withdrawal was higher than any other drug he heard of. "I want you to inform Fort Seireitei of the situation. Tell them to send Captain Kira or Captain Hisagi with more men at once. We'll try to make do with whoever can still hold a rifle."

"That won't be enough if the Arrancars decide to attack us," Kibune said.

"I know, but we don't have much of an option right now."

_Central 46 Rotunda_

Ichigo knelt beside the corpse of Kaname Tosen.

_So much for Starrk's story,_ he thought. He reasoned that if Tosen was dead then that meant that Aizen couldn't be involved. Aizen never struck him as the type of man who would betray those he swore to protect.

"What are we going to do?" Rukia asked.

Ichigo looked at her and got to his feet. He ran a hand through his orange hair as he looked at the scene of death that surrounded him. Shinji was with the other Visoreds and they were busy taking photos of the scene that would be sent to Fort Seireitei. He also saw that Kugo was talking with Tatsuki and Mizuiro.

"Even the Privatized Squads are getting involved with this," Ichigo muttered.

"What?"

"Oh, sorry Rukia, I was just noticing that even the Privatized Squads are handling the situation."

"Yeah, but I wanted to know what we're going to do. You know this will cause a panic. We're fortunate that it's close to Día de los Muertos."

"Yeah," Ichigo said. "People are too busy getting ready for the festivities. Right now, we keep it quiet until after the festivities."

"What should we do about those who are curious of as to what we're doing here?" Renji asked. "Everyone knows that during the Closed Council, no one is allowed in."

Ichigo sighed. He knew that people noticed them going in, but at the same time they also tried to keep out of Central 46 business during Closed Council sessions. It was one of those times when they could use Gensei traditions to their advantage, but they were severely limited.

"We tell them what's going on," Ichigo said. He saw that Renji was about to protest. "We don't have any other choice, Renji. If we stay silent then that will cause people to spread rumors and that's the last thing we need."

"I know, but Ichigo," Renji said. "Won't telling them what's going on only cause them to panic?"

"Renji, they're not Borderlanders or Arrancars. We tell them that we've got a good idea of who's responsible and will bring swift justice on the parties responsible," Ichigo said. "People need to be reassured that even when something like this happens, we're going to take care of it."

"Well, those are the words of a true sheriff," Kyoraku said as he and Ukitake approached.

"Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake," Renji said and saluted. "It's been a while sir."

"Yeah, yeah," Kyoraku said and sighed as he looked around him. "This is a mess. Who would have thought that Central 46 would be reduced to a pile of corpses? Have you found anything?"

"So far, the only bits of evidence we found were a series of bloody boot prints from one of the perpetrators," Tatsuki said as she approached. "We also found a revolver that was fired and a note in that one's pocket," she said and pointed to Hanza Nukui's corpse.

"Wait a minute," Ichigo said as he approached the body. "I think this is the one who attacked me in the alley."

"What are you talking about?" Rukia asked.

"I went out to look for you, Renji. I heard Shinji moaning in an alley and when I approached someone came up behind me. I got a brief look at the face and I think this was him."

"Why would someone hit you over the head?" Renji asked.

"Maybe it was to keep him from raising an alarm," Ukitake said. "Did you find anything else, Miss Arisawa?" he asked Tatsuki.

"Only one thing," she said. "It was a silver cigarette case. It had the emblem of the Gotei on it."

They looked at her and then at each other.

_El Atormentado_

Szayel Aporro led the horses Lumina and Verona to where the other horses were waiting to be loaded onto the train. His amber eyes were fully alert and continually looked back and forth from behind the darkened glasses he wore. So far he didn't see anyone who looked familiar to him, but that didn't mean that he wasn't being followed. After the incident at his ranch, he knew he had reason to be cautious. However, in Szayel Aporro's case, caution only led to paranoia and he knew that his paranoia could be a problem.

"May I help you sir?"

Szayel Aporro nearly jumped out of his skin and he reached for his gun. He would have probably shot the poor conductor on sight if he hadn't mastered his reflex in time. He saw the frightened look on the conductor's face and took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Szayel Aporro said and gave a nervous titter. "I'm afraid I must have dazed off there for a bit."

"No, no, no, I should be apologizing," the conductor said. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Yes, well…"

"I was wondering if you needed help with anything, sir."

"Oh yes," Szayel Aporro said. "I'm just waiting for my horses and the luggage in my cart to be loaded before I board myself."

"I see," the conductor said. "Where are you heading?"

"I'm heading towards Karakura Town. I have some business that needs to be taken care of."

"I see. Would you like me to telegram ahead so that way you'll have a cart ready?"

"Oh that would be wonderful," Szayel Aporro said. "Also, do you have any pink lemonade? I'm awfully thirsty."

_Karakura Hotel_

Byakuya Kuchiki waited in the smoking lounge when he saw the man he was waiting for walk in. He had heard about Shukuro Tsukishima and he knew that this man was the head of the Pinkerton Agency in Karakura Town.

"Ah you must be Captain Kuchiki," Tsukishima said and put his right-hand over his left breast and bowed. "It is an honor to finally meet a member of the esteemed Kuchiki family."

"You are Shukuro Tsukishima," Byakuya said. "I have heard about you as well from my sister."

"I see. And what has Deputy Kuchiki told you?"

"She has told me that you are an extremely competent young man."

"I'm flattered. Now, how may I be of service?"

"You may start by giving me all of the information that you have on Kage no Tanken."

Tsukishima looked at Byakuya and a part of him wanted to draw the dagger out of his book and shove it into the Captain's throat. However, another part of him understood that doing so would be counter-productive. He hoped that Byakuya did not notice the moment of hatred that came over him. He cleared his throat and he placed the bag onto the table before him.

"I see," Tsukishima said. "Might I inquire as to your interest in Kage no Tanken?"

"My interest is that they tried to kill me and my fellow Gotei Captains. I want to know why they would do such a thing."

Tsukishima wanted to smile. He had been preparing for this even before he gave the order for the Kage no Tanken to perform their little ambush. He reached into the bag and pulled out the files he brought with him.

"Captain Kuchiki," he said. "While I don't pretend to understand their motivations in attacking you and other high ranking Gotei personnel, I do pride myself in getting as much information as I can. Everything that I know about Kage no Tanken are in these files. From what I understand, they were led by a man named Hanza Nukui, now deceased."

"How do you know that this Hanza Nukui is deceased?"

"I recognized his corpse at the Central 46 Rotunda. It stands to reason that one of the guards killed him with a single shot to the head. We…had dealings with Kage no Tanken in the past."

"I see," Byakuya said, hiding his surprise that Tsukishima would tell him this. "What kind of work did you hire him for?"

"We asked for any and all details that he knew about Shadow Lurker. Unfortunately, it seems that even the Pinkerton Agency was deceived. I did not realize that he was also working for Shadow Lurker."

"How do you know this?"

"The note that was found on his person," Tsukishima said and brought out a small bag with the note inside. He held the bag to Byakuya who took it and began to read.

"I don't understand," Byakuya said. "This note mentions that there were other parties involved."

"I must agree," Tsukishima said and looked Byakuya in the eyes. "It would appear that Shadow Lurker is actually more than one person."

_Sabaku Desert_

Grimmjow rode alone. It was his turn to do patrol and he was glad. It gave him an excuse to get away from the other Espada for a while. He wondered why Aizen had instructions for Aaroniero and Zommari to ride on ahead, but he decided that they were probably being sent as scouts to make sure that the Garganta Pass was clear.

He sighed and stopped his horse, Kitty. He had the feeling that he was being watched. He looked around but did not spot anything. He smiled and began to whistle the tune of "No Regressar" as he walked. He stopped when he heard someone else whistling "No Regressar" and smiled.

"Nel," he said and turned.

Nelliel Tu Odelschwank stood behind him and grinned. She raced towards him and embraced him. Their lips locked and Grimmjow realized how much he missed the taste of cherries that her lips seemed to possess. They parted and looked into each other's eyes.

"I made up some ground," she said.

"I know. But it's just you and Pesche and Dondochakka while I have to travel with an entire army."

"I know. I've been observing the others when I had a chance."

"That's risky. What would happen if someone saw you?"

"I was careful."

"Look, Nel, promise me that you won't do anything too risky. I need for you to stay at least a half day's ride behind us. I would hate for something to happen to you."

"I know you would, but I want to do what I can."

"I know you do, Nel, but…"

"Not another word," she said and put a finger over his lips. "I know you don't want anything bad to happen to me, but I can take care of myself."

"I know. That's what I love about you. Listen, I better ride back to the group and make a report before anyone gets suspicious."

"Grimmjow, promise me you'll be careful."

"I always am," Grimmjow said and kissed her again.

_The Main Arrancar Force_

Luppi narrowed his eyes as he watched some of the Panteras return from their patrol. Aisslinger was busy counting the boxes of ammunition they brought with them for the Bala-class Shooters.

"Aisslinger," Luppi said.

"What is it? I'm busy."

"Listen, I think that Grimmjow's up to something."

"What are you talking about?"

"When he goes on patrol, he stays out longer than the others. Sometimes it's one of his Panteras who stays out longer. Also, they keep on wandering away from the main force."

Aisslinger sighed and looked at Luppi.

"And why are you telling me this?"

"I need someone to help me keep an eye on them."

"Why? Based on what you told me, it's probably nothing."

"But what if it is?"

"I'll tell you what," Aisslinger said. "I'll help you keep an eye on Grimmjow and his Kitties on the condition that you help me count this shit."

"Fine," Luppi said. "You've got a deal."

_Naruki Hotel_

Kugo Ginjo looked at the notes he and the other members of the Xcution Squad took at the scene. He was not surprised that Riruka tried to make her notes as pretty as possible with hearts dotting eyes and doodles of flowers and rainbows and unicorns in the margins. Her notes were usually over-ridden with the "cuteness". He put Riruka's notes aside and sighed. So far, only Giriko and Jackie took any notes that could be of use to him. Giriko even went so far as to draw each individual boot print and even included measurements. Based on the measurements, the boot prints were from someone who favored their left foot and wore a size 9 ½.

"Hey Ginjo, Ichigo's here to see you," Jackie said from the doorway. He looked up and saw that she was as sulky as usual since she wasn't permitted to wear her boots.

"Send him in," he sighed and rubbed his eyes.

He looked up when Ichigo walked in with Renji. Kugo leaned back in his chair and folded his hands over his chest.

"I need to know what you found out," Ichigo said.

"Well, based on the boot prints, at least one of them is a male who wears a size 9 ½ boot and favors their left foot. Unfortunately, the Pinkerton Agents at the scene took a bit of evidence away before we even had a chance to look at it. Oh…and Riruka can't decide on whether you or Starrk is hotter. That's about it."

Renji snickered while Ichigo glared at him.

"What?" Renji asked. "Come on, you have to admit it's pretty funny."

"Tch…whatever," Ichigo said. "Anyways, I've issued an arrest warrant for all members of Kage no Tanken. I want you and the others to track down as many of them as you can."

"I see," Kugo said. "I've already sent the others to find the other members of Kage no Tanken and I wouldn't be surprised if Tsukishima did the same thing."

"So, what do you think?" Renji asked. "What's going on? I mean, Central 46 has been slaughtered and the majority of people don't even know it yet."

"They will though," Kugo said and sighed. "If we can get at least one member of Kage no Tanken to talk to us, then we may have a chance at finding something out."

_Junrinan_

Kukaku Shiba carefully measured the ingredients for the fireworks. The days before any major celebration were always the busiest times for her. She sighed and sat back in the wooden chair. She had already completed fifty rockets for the larger fireworks and God only knew how many of the smaller ones that would be launched from beer bottles. She was glad that she had a couple of days left to finish.

"Hey Sis," Ganju said from the doorway.

"What is it?"

"We got a message from Karakura Town. Something's up."

"Your ass is going to be shoved up into your mouth if it's not important. Can't you see I'm busy?"

"I'm sorry, Sis, but this is important."

Kukaku sighed and got up from her work table. She walked to her younger brother and swiped the piece of paper he was holding from his hand. She looked at it and her eyes went wide.

"No…this is…this is impossible," Kukaku said and looked at Ganju. "How many others saw this?"

"Only me and the guy who was at the telegraph," Ganju said. "I made sure he'll be quiet."

"I hope you didn't kill him."

"Don't worry, Sis, I ain't a murderer. But, he did ask for a steep price."

"Ganju, money is the least of our worries. I have to find a way of filling this order on top of the one for the Día de los Muertos celebrations. Although," Kukaku muttered and looked at the message. "I have a feeling that this one is far more important. Ganju, I'm going to need you to get out Ole Betsy."

"Are you sure?"

"Damn right, I'm sure. We're going to have to crank these out the good ole fashion Shiba way."

_Karakura Hotel_

Byakuya looked over the files that Tsukishima gave him. He looked at Rangiku who was probably not even bothering to look at the pages since her attention was most likely on the bottle of whiskey in front of her.

"Rangiku," Hitsugaya said from his corner. "Get to work."

"Yes, Captain," Rangiku sighed and continued to pretend to work.

"I swear, she can be just as bad as Captain Kyoraku," Hitsugaya muttered.

"It's not our fault," Kyoraku said from the loveseat that he was lying on with one of the files opened and covering his face. "These reports are rather boring."

"Shunsui, they may be boring, but there could be vital bits of information," Ukitake said and sighed. "Sentaro, Kiyone, have either of you found anything?"

"Not a thing, Captain," Sentaro said. "But, I'm sure that I can find what we're looking for faster than Short Round over here."

"Who are you calling 'Short Round', Goat Face?" Kiyone asked.

"That should be perfectly obvious. If you can't figure it out, I know a replacement job you can do. I heard that newspaper boys get paid rather well."

"Why you…" Kiyone growled.

"Enough you two," Kyoraku said, "less talk and more reading."

"Perhaps you should try taking your own advice," Hitsugaya muttered.

"I heard that your meeting with Shukuro Tsukishima went well," Unohana said. "From what you told us, we can assume that Shadow Lurker is more than one person."

"At least, Tsukishima seems to think so," Byakuya said. "Considering that the note said, 'Our instructions' it makes sense. However, I got a feeling from Tsukishima that was rather…hostile. He had a look in his eyes that told me he wanted to kill me."

"That's nothing new," Ukitake said. "When I tried to deal with a Pinkerton Agent, I got the same glare. They think that the Gotei is only good for protecting the Gensei Provinces from Arrancars; anything else is their jurisdiction."

Byakuya nodded in agreement. He looked over the files and then he stood up. The other Officers in the room looked at him.

"What is it?" Isane asked.

"We might have a lead," Byakuya said and showed them the file. "According to this, Ryo Utagawa is perhaps the easiest member of Kage no Tanken to identify. He always carries a Death's Head Viper with him."

"Wasn't Uryu's father attacked by a Death's Head Viper?" Kyoraku asked.

"Yes," Unohana said.

"Well, it's a start," Hitsugaya said. "Rangiku, I want you and Isane and Sentaro to search for him, but be careful. He has a Death's Head Viper that he uses as a weapon."

_Karakura Town_

"Shit," he muttered as he ran. He looked at the Death's Head Viper that was draped over his neck like a tie. "That bastard betrayed us, Fried. He set us up. Damn it, I have to let the others know."

"I'm afraid that I can't let you do that, Ryo."

Ryo Utagawa's eyes widened. He turned around and saw Tsukishima approaching him.

"You bastard," Ryo growled. "Why were there Pinkerton Agents at _my_ apartment?"

"They were there to take you into custody," Tsukishima said and smiled. "Of course, you resisted and they killed you by accident."

"What are you talking about?" Ryo asked, panic crawled up his spine.

"It's quite simple," Tsukishima said. "When people find out that Central 46 has been completely annihilated, they're going to want to blame somebody. I'm just providing them with the fall-guy."

"You…you son of a whore," Ryo growled and held out his arm. The Death's Head Viper began to crawl on his arm and was coiling itself, waiting for her master to give the order. "Why? Why are you doing this?"

"It's because your part in our plan is over," Tsukishima said. "However, while Aizen wanted to have you eliminated in secret, I thought of a better idea. You can still be useful to us…just not alive."

"You bastard," Ryo said. "How many of us are you going to kill?"

"Hmm, that's a good question. I think that…at least half of you should suffice. The rest can go on the run and get caught and strung up a sour apple tree for all I care. However, for those who know who's behind it all…well, dead men tell no tales, right?"

"Damn you. FRIED, ATTACK!"

The Death's Head Viper immediately launched herself at Tsukishima who only stood where he was and smiled. In one swift and fluid motion, he unsheathed the dagger from his book and cut off the snake's head. Ryo watched in horror as his beloved pet was cut in two and Tsukishima was twirling the snake's tail as though it was a piece of string.

"That wasn't very nice," Tsukishima said and tossed the snake's tail to the ground and kicked its head away from him.

"Fried," Ryo gasped and then looked in horror at Tsukishima. "You're…you're not human."

"Well I'm not an _ordinary_ human if that's what you mean. You know, you made me lose my place in my book," he said and looked at the book in his hand. "That's too bad. I hope that you're willing to take responsibility for what's going to happen."

"Get away from me," Ryo muttered.

"You know. It was a mistake for you to only use one weapon. Now you're unarmed and I'm…" he said and slashed Ryo's throat with a swift and graceful move of his wrist. "I'm not."

Ryo tried to stop the bleeding, but the wound in his neck was too deep. He looked up and saw that Tsukishima was now holding a revolver.

"I think I might have made a mistake in cutting you," he said. "But then again, he's also good with a blade."

Ryo didn't understand what Tsukishima was talking about and at that point it didn't matter. He knew that he would die and Tsukishima leaned against the wall to watch.

"Oh what a pity that I didn't make it on time to save your life," Tsukishima said. "I could have been able to ask you my questions."

Ryo understood. The Kage no Tanken were nothing more than sacrificial lambs now. The last thing he saw before darkness took him was Tsukishima rushing towards him.

"DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME YOU FUCKER," Tsukishima yelled.

_Damn you,_ Ryo thought as Death took him.

_Sheriff's Office_

"So, what do you think?" Kyoraku asked.

Starrk sat in thought while Harribel paced the room. They had been brought out of their cell and into the small office to listen to what Kyoraku knew. Starrk was glad. This was more information than he got from the newspaper that Renji threw at him.

"This is big," Harribel said. "We've been hearing people talking about this in the streets."

Kyoraku nodded. He knew that when people saw members of the Privatized Squads go into the Central 46 Rotunda during a Closed Council Session, then something must be going on. He heard many rumors going around as well. Everything from that one of the Chief Justices stubbed their toe to a bomb threat to a murder.

"Ichigo will have to let them know before the rumors get too out of hand," Kyoraku said.

"What about the bankers?" Starrk asked.

Harribel and Kyoraku turned to look at him.

"What are you talking about?" Kyoraku asked.

"I overheard a couple of bankers outside my cell mentioning something about a major gold shipment being stolen from the Garganta Line. I think that the two might be related."

Kyoraku leaned back and sighed. There were too many pieces of the puzzle on the table that he couldn't see how they fit. He never heard about the robbery of the Garganta Line. However, many would view that as proof that Gin wasn't involved after all. However, gold was precious. Without the Gensei Provinces large reserves of gold, there was nothing to back up their currency. If their currency couldn't be backed up, then it became little more than pieces of toilet paper.

That was when Kyoraku thought he saw a glimmer of the pattern of what was going on. He sat up and brought out his notebook and pen. Starrk and Harribel looked at him as he began to draw on it.

"Now it makes sense," Kyoraku said. "First, you told us that Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen were involved, right?"

"That's right," Harribel said.

"Kaname became a Chief Justice on Central 46 while Gin Ichimaru became head of the largest bank in the Gensei Provinces," Kyoraku said and showed them the piece of paper.

Starrk nodded his head while Harribel gasped at what the series of interconnected lines meant.

"Yes," Starrk said. "The slaughter of Central 46 will cause a breakdown in law and order because people believed them to be a constant. However, when this will happen is unknown since the Gotei is still around. Likewise, the massive theft of gold will cause an economic collapse since the Gensei currency will be worth little more than children's play money without something to back it up. These two things: a breakdown in law and order and a worthless currency will cause the Gensei Provinces to weaken severely. However, martial law can be put into effect if the Gotei is still able to function as a united and coherent group. But how long will that last?"

"It's hard to say," Kyoraku said. "But, I don't get something. Why did Kaname die if he was also a part of it?"

"You just answered your own question," Harribel said. "He died because all of the Chief Justices had to die. It would look suspicious if even one Chief Justice was allowed to live."

Kyoraku nodded. That was the same conclusion that Byakuya reached, but he had to make sure.

"In the meantime, I'm sure that you and your fellow Captains will act as Appointed Justices," Starrk said. "That should be enough to reassure people and keep them from rioting."

"Maybe that's why we were attacked," Kyoraku said. "Whoever attacked us did not want us to reach Karakura Town."

"It's likely," Starrk said. "But, I want you to tell us more about this Tsukishima person. You mentioned that he's head of the Karakura branch of the Pinkerton Agency."

"That's right," Kyoraku said. "Why?"

"It's just that I never heard of him," Starrk said. "But, he sounds like the type that Aizen would want at his side."

_United Hogyoku Bank Headquarters_

Gin Ichimaru smiled at the silver-framed photograph he kept hidden in his drawer. He only brought it out whenever he needed some level of comfort or a reminder. He sighed and put the photo back into the drawer. He got up and made his way into the foyer. Not many people were in since they were all probably gathering at the Central 46 Rotunda. He knew that Ichigo was going to make a statement now and he couldn't wait to hear what he had to say.

"I'm going out for a bit," Gin said to the Shift Leader. "I won't be back in for most of the day."

"Very good, sir," the woman said as she bowed. "I'll take care of things here then."

Gin nodded and smiled as he went out into the hot late afternoon. He got word from Tsukishima that Ryo had been taken care of and that just left Jin Kariya, Yoshino Soma, Yoshi, and Ugaki to take care of.

_Senkaimon Express Platform, Karakura Town_

Ugaki looked about the platform for any sign of the others. However, he didn't see them. He took out his pocket watch and looked at it. If they didn't arrive soon, he would leave them behind. He knew that something wasn't right when they hadn't heard from Hanza Nukui and that was confirmed when he received a call from Jin telling him that Pinkerton Agents were coming after them and that Hanza was dead.

He told Jin that he would take the next train out of Karakura Town and Jin agreed to meet him. However, none of the others were here and he was getting a bad feeling about it. He looked around the station and saw that some of those on the platform were looking at him.

"Shit," he whispered.

In the distance, he could hear the train coming. He looked at the plains across the track and saw a group of men on horses. He suddenly realized that he was trapped. No wonder why none of the others came. They must have seen the Pinkerton Agents and decided to try to find another way out. He had miscalculated. He reached into his pocket and brought out his pack of poisoned-edge cards. If he had to, he would fight his way out.

"Excuse me, sir," someone said.

He did not think. Ugaki took the card at the top of the deck and scratched the conductor's throat. The conductor looked wide-eyed and began to struggle for breath as the poison took effect. Ugaki saw that the Pinkerton Agents were making their way towards him. Ugaki took the next card from the deck and threw it with excellent precision. The card dug into one of the agent's shoulder. The other agents brought out their guns.

Those who were ordinary citizens began to scream as shots rang out. Ugaki rushed to a pile of luggage and felt something hit him in the side. He stumbled and threw another card, but this one went wide and struck a fleeing woman in the back. He snarled and threw his cards one after another. Some cards hit fleeing pedestrians while others embedded themselves into the station walls or floor. However, some found their mark and another agent would go down, struggling for breath and already as good as dead.

"Shit. Shit. SHIT!" Ugaki screamed as he tossed another card.

The whistling of the train was coming closer and it was already putting on the breaks. Ugaki decided that he would try to make a run for the exit. He got the rest of his deck of cards ready, but as he began to run, he tripped over a piece of luggage. He went sprawling and watched as his deck of cards scattered out of his hand.

"No. No. No. No. I refuse to accept this," he muttered as he crawled to reach at least one card. "I REFUSE TO DIE!"

He looked around and saw the Pinkerton Agents rushing towards him. There was only one thing he could do. He got to his feet and began to run towards the platform. He reached for the revolver he kept hidden under his coat. As he got closer to the edge, he saw the train coming closer. If he could time his jump just right then he would only have to deal with the agents on horseback. However, before he could jump, he felt someone grab him.

"Tsukishima sends his regards," the agent whispered and pushed Ugaki off the edge.

Ugaki landed on the tracks and was mangled beneath the approaching train.

_Central 46 Rotunda_

Gin Ichimaru watched as Ichigo Kurosaki and Shukuro Tsukishima and Captain Byakuya Kuchiki walked onto the platform. The whispers in the crowd told him that many already had their own theories. Gin looked at Tsukishima and was impressed with how calm he looked.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Ichigo said. "I have something very important to tell you. Now, I've been hearing a lot of rumors going around about what's been going on. I'm afraid that every member of Central 46 has been murdered."

Murmurs rose at that. Ichigo took a deep breath and continued before the murmurs could turn into panic.

"I have asked for Captain Byakuya Kuchiki of the Gotei if he and his fellow Gotei Officers would serve as Appointed Justices for the time being. They have agreed. Thus, law and order will be maintained. We have dealt with problems in the past and we must stay strong if we are going to have a chance. There is very little doubt that the slaughter of Central 46 was a part of Shadow Lurker's plan.

"Shukuro Tsukishima has agreed to send the Pinkerton Agents after the members of Kage no Tanken who carried out the attacks. Make no mistake. We will make sure that justice is carried out. I urge for all citizens of Karakura Town to do their part. Now, are there any questions?"

"Yes," someone called out. "Are the Arrancars in custody a part of this?"

"That's right," someone else called out. "This didn't happen until they came."

"Yes, how do we know that they aren't a part of Shadow Lurker's plan?"

"How do we know that one of them isn't Shadow Lurker?"

"That's right. Ulquiorra 'Night Bringer' Schiffer is still on the loose. Maybe he's Shadow Lurker."

Gin wanted to burst out laughing. This was exactly what they wanted. However, he wondered what Tsukishima was planning. Originally, they were supposed to keep Kage no Tanken's involvement a secret. But now, Tsukishima was making it known.

"That is a very good point," Tsukishima said. "So far, two of the central members of Kage no Tanken, Hanza Nukui and Ryo Utagawa, are dead. My men have reported that they have a third member in their sights and they should be ready to apprehend them. If they succeed, we will do whatever it takes to get answers. In the meantime, the Arrancars who have been arrested will remain in Sheriff Kurosaki's custody."

"Why bother?" someone shouted. "We know those Arrancars are behind it. We should string them up NOW!"

Gin smiled at the sound of the cheers that rose up at that. The long enmity between Arrancars and those who lived in the Gensei Provinces and Borderlands was proving to be an effective weapon. So long as that hatred was this strong, then Aizen's plan would go smoothly. Hatred is the most effective weapon to use. He could tell that Tsukishima was going to use that to get Starrk and Harribel out of the way for good.

_Sabaku Desert_

Ggio rode next to Sui-Feng towards the front of the Arrancar's main force. He never realized just how beautiful someone could be until he first looked into her eyes. He knew that he shouldn't be growing too attached to her. Baraggan made it clear that she would die the moment that they achieved absolute victory. However, if he could find some way to make sure that she escaped, then he would do whatever it took to make sure she got away before that happened.

"Hey, Ggio," Nirgge said from beside him. "I hope you're not thinking of going against Lord Baraggan's wishes."

"Why would you say that?"

"I see the way you look at our li'l prisoner. You're falling for her. Aren't ya?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Why would I fall for a filthy Gotei Officer?"

"Try to deny it, but it's pretty obvious. I tell ya what. I'll talk to Lord Baraggan about letting you have her before he kills her. Who knows, maybe you'll be the one to pluck her li'l flower. Or perhaps I should have that honor."

"Must you be so crude? You're about as bad as Nnoitora. Besides, she's my responsibility. So you better keep your hands off her."

"Aw, Ggio's in love," Nirgge said and rode away laughing.

"Damn idiot," Ggio muttered.

"Thank you," Sui-Feng said.

"Why are you thanking me?"

"You…you said that you would protect me."

"Come on. We both know that ya can easily take care of yourself. Why should anything that I say make a difference?"

"It just does," Sui-Feng said. "You wondered what happened to my father. I'll tell you if you like."

"I don't want to cause you any more pain than you're already going through."

"It's alright. You see, it was on the same mission that caused my mentor and…and that man to have to leave the Gotei. They were following a lead when they were ambushed. At first, everyone thought it was one of those things, but then evidence was found that suggested that someone fed information to Rudobon.

"It caused a panic in the Gotei and soon everyone was starting to mistrust each other. My father led the investigation and he must have found something because a few days later, he was killed. No one knew who did it, but then…then a piece of evidence was found in a certain Captain's chambers that linked him to the betrayal. We didn't know if it was intentional or not, but he and my mentor were both made prime suspects. However, General Yamamoto decided that they were probably the victims of fraud and that someone else was behind the betrayal. But it was still a serious crime and so they were both sent to live in Karakura Town. "

"I see," Ggio said. "Your mentor…what was her name?"

"It was Yoruichi Shihoin," Sui-Feng said. "The Captain who was punished with her was Kisuke Urahara."

_Karakura General_

"Well, look who just woke up," Davis Murphy said and smiled over at Kisuke.

"Where am I?" Kisuke asked, groggily.

"You're at Karakura General Hospital, silly," Yoruichi said and smiled at him. "It's good to see that you're up."

"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly feeling 100%."

"Here, drink this," Yoruichi said and held out a glass of water for him.

"She never left your side," Davis said and smiled. "At any rate, welcome back."

"How long have I been out?"

"A couple of days or so," Davis said and shrugged. "Kisuke, we…we have something to tell you."

"What happened?"

"It's Central 46," Yoruichi said. "We heard that they were slaughtered. Apparently the Kage no Tanken was behind it and so the Pinkerton Agency is sending their agents to find them."

"Who's in charge of the investigation?"

"We don't know," Davis said.

"But from what we heard, Ichigo made an announcement about it only a couple of hours ago. However, people are getting anxious and some have even suggested breaking into the Sheriff's office to lynch the Arrancars," Yoruichi said.

"Who's keeping law and order?"

"Right now, it's the Captains who came from Fort Seireitei, but they're having a difficult job keeping everyone in line. Ichigo's been helping out as well, but it's putting a lot of pressure on him," Davis said.

"Rukia told us when she came to visit," Yoruichi explained. "Who would have thought that so much could happen in so little time? So far, three of the Kage no Tanken's core agents are dead. Hanza Nukui was killed on their attack on Central 46. Someone killed Ryo Utagawa in an alleyway. And now it looks as if Ugaki jumped in front of a train before the Pinkerton Agents could capture him."

"Wait a minute, what about Kaname or Gin?"

"Kaname Tosen's dead," Davis said. "Gin was nowhere near any of the scenes."

"Then that must mean that the Pinkerton Agency is getting rid of them," Urahara said and sighed. "Why would they do that? What do they have to gain by getting rid of Kage no Tanken and make it known that they were involved?"

"That's what we were talking about when you woke up," Yoruichi said and sighed. "We just don't know. We've been trying to come up with explanations, but…"

"We can't come up with anything concrete," Davis said. "So far, the best we can tell is that it causes for at least one of the plotters to come out of it smelling like a rose. However, it could also be a way of rousing people's hatred against the Arrancars and get the ones in custody out of the way for good."

"Then we have to help them," Urahara said and sat up even straighter, but this caused his head to swoon and his vision to become hazy.

"You let me handle that," Yoruichi said as she pushed him back into bed. "I'm going to break them out tonight before the lynch mob comes for them."

"How are you going to do that?"

"I'll just play it by ear," Yoruichi said and smiled.

_Pinkerton Agency Offices_

Tatsuki looked at the cigarette case that was found at the scene. She thought that it looked familiar, but she wasn't quite sure.

"Hey Tatsuki," Mizuiro said. "Are you still looking at that thing?"

"What else would I be doing with it?"

"May I take a look?"

"Sure, go ahead," Tatsuki said and sighed. "I don't know why, but I thought I've seen it before."

"Tatsuki, it's not unusual for the Gotei to give gifts like this to former members. It looks like an ordinary cigarette case with the Gotei crest."

"I know, but the gifts that the Gotei gives are usually gold. My father used to serve in the Gotei and when he retired he received a gold pocket watch. But, I've never heard of them giving out gifts made of silver."

"Maybe it's a family heirloom."

"It's possible. I don't know. I could have sworn that I've seen this before, but I can't remember where."

"Maybe you should just stop thinking about it. Don't you remember what our instructor told us when we get stuck on something?"

"Yeah," Tatsuki said. "He always told us that when we stop putting too much pressure on trying to remember something, that's when we remember it."

"Exactly," Mizuiro said. "Well, I better help Keigo fill out the report."

"Yeah, thanks Mizuiro," Tatsuki said and sighed as she put the cigarette case aside.

_Outside Karakura Town_

Yoshi ran. Behind her the sound of hooves filled the air. The moment her horse was shot from under her she knew that if she would have any chance was to wage guerrilla warfare on the agents. She saw Tsukishima kill Ryo and warned Jin about it. She had a feeling that by the end of the day, none of Kage no Tanken would remain except for Carolyn and her group who would be joining the Arrancar forces at the Garganta Pass.

"Damn you, Tsukishima," she hissed under her breath.

Tsukishima must have been planning this for quite some time; maybe even from when he first contacted them about the job. His agents were too organized and they knew where to go for it to be a sudden-notice operation. She knew that not everyone in the Pinkerton Agency was involved, but she didn't know who to trust among them. It was best not to trust anyone but herself.

She heard her pursuers gaining ground on her. She dodged to the side into a cluster of bushes. She kept silent as she heard voices.

"Where did she go?"

"I don't know."

"Damn it. We need to find her."

Yoshi reached for her revolver and that was when she felt something bite into her hand. She winced in pain, but didn't move. She knew that she had to fight the pain, but something was wrong. Her muscles were beginning to spasm and she could not control it. She could hear the agents pass by as she began to struggle to breathe. Her entire body felt cold and hot at the same time. Her body was covered in cold, clammy sweat.

"Fuck," she moaned before her vocal chords tightened and her throat restricted.

Behind her, the Death's Head Viper slithered away from the bushes to find a new place to rest.

_Kurosaki Residence_

Isshin Kurosaki sighed.

"Dad, is everything alright?" Yuzu asked.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Karin said. "He's probably tired."

"Isn't Ichigo going to be joining us?" Yuzu asked.

"He's busy right now," Isshin said. "He has responsibilities as sheriff."

"Not to mention he has to find whoever's responsible for the murder at Central 46," Karin said.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Dad, everyone's talking about it. Even before Ichigo announced that Central 46 was murdered, people were talking about it," Karin said and shoveled a spoonful of peas into her mouth.

"Right," Isshin said and sighed.

He knew that his son's duties as a sheriff would be difficult, but now they only got more complicated for him. He remembered when he sent his son to train with the Gotei and how his son stood at the front lines when the Espada attacked four months before. Now, his son was beginning to demonstrate the strains that came with his job.

"Hey Dad, how's Ryuken Ishida doing?" Yuzu asked.

"He's still recovering. Fortunately, he's through the worst of it. He's fortunate to have survived a bite when he was younger."

He was about to take a bite of steak when he heard a noise coming from outside. He sat up straight and rushed to the window. He was surprised to see a group of people gathering at the General Store across the street. They were carrying torches and some of them even had ropes.

"Oh shit," Isshin whispered.

"Dad, what is it?"

"It's nothing. Karin, I want you and Yuzu to go down into the cellar while I handle this."

"Dad, what's…?"

"Just do as I say," Isshin said and Karin knew by the tone in his voice that he was to be obeyed.

"Yes, Dad. Yuzu, come on, we can take our dinners with us into the cellar."

"What's going on?"

"Come on, Yuzu," Karin said as she gathered their dinner plates. "It'd be like when we used to play fort."

Isshin watched as Yuzu and Karin went to the cellar stairs. He sighed and walked towards the case where he kept his gun. He opened it and brought out the revolver he received from his service in the Gotei. He made sure to load it and bring extra casings with him before he left.

He never realized that one piece of his memento from his time in the Gotei was missing.

_Outside Karakura Town_

Jin Kariya and Yoshino Soma made their way into the Kabe Mountains. He saw that Carolyn and her group were waiting for the Arrancar army to arrive in the Garganta Pass.

"Why aren't they being attacked?" Jin asked himself.

"It's because they don't know who Shadow Lurker is, but we do," Yoshino said. "They're only going after those who were directly involved with Aizen or Tsukishima. Jin, we need to get into the Borderlands before Tsukishima or any of his cronies find us."

"I know, Yoshino. Damn it, I really made a fine leader, didn't I?"

"You couldn't have known that Tsukishima would betray us."

"Hanza suspected and he was killed first."

"Jin, look at me. We are still alive and we have a chance."

"I know, but I hate running like this. I want to see Tsukishima go down in flames for this."

"You will, but to do that, we have to survive. Right now, public sympathy is against us and we need to buy some time to come up with a plan. I'm sure that Tsukishima took the time to come up with a plan on how to deal with us when he was done with us."

"That's exactly right," Tsukishima said as he stepped into the path ahead of them. "It's a nice night to go on a nice little walk, isn't it?"

"What…what are you doing here?" Yoshino asked.

"I'm here to finish the job of course. I figured that you would be trying to escape to the Borderlands. You know. If you had tried to go through the Garganta Pass, you would have succeeded and you would have thrown a wrench in Aizen's plan. So, why didn't you?"

"We didn't know if we could trust Carolyn," Jin said.

"You could have," Tsukishima said and smirked at them. "You should have."

"Look, we just want to go," Yoshino said. "Step aside, and let us go on our way."

"I don't know," Tsukishima said and smiled. "On the one hand, I could. But then you would only…how did you put it? Oh yes, that's right, 'buy some time and come up with a plan.' What kind of plan were you talking about? Were you talking about a plan to start a new life together complete with a house with a white picket fence and a couple of kids? Or perhaps you were talking about a plan to get back at me?"

"Tsukishima, are you doing this on Aizen's orders?" Jin asked.

"I am."

"You do realize that he'll only betray you as well, right?"

"Of course I do. But I intend to survive and come out of this looking like the savior of the Gensei Provinces. However, for that to happen, I cannot have anyone standing in my way."

"We can help you turn against Aizen," Yoshino said. "If you let us go, we'll help you."

"What can you do? The Kage no Tanken is dead. You have nothing to offer me that I haven't taken into consideration. Even if I were to help you, I would have to take what you know into consideration. You see, none of the Pinkerton Agents are loyal to Aizen. They're all loyal to me. Some of them know about my plans, but I'll make sure they meet with an 'accident' when this is over.

"I've taken everything into account."

"Is that so?" Jin asked and smiled. "I have a safety deposit box in a certain bank. If I don't wire in by tomorrow afternoon, they have orders to release what's inside."

"Let me guess," Tsukishima said as he shook his head. "This 'safety deposit box' contains vital pieces of evidence that links me to Aizen and proves that Aizen is Shadow Lurker. Please, I know full well that you have no such safety deposit box or evidence."

"Oh well, it was worth a try," Jin said.

"It was, but unfortunately it didn't work," Tsukishima said and pulled out his revolver. "I suggest that if either of you have anything you would like to say to each other, you should say them now."

"Well, I think that we both think that you should go fuck yourself," Yoshino said.

"Come now, do you really want to go out on that note? Saying 'Go fuck yourself' to your would-be executioner is a bit…cliché."

Yoshino sighed and looked at Jin who looked back.

"Jin."

"I love you too, Yoshino," Jin said and he pulled out his revolver, but he wasn't fast enough.

Tsukishima fired his revolver. Jin and Yoshino both fell with a bullet hole in their foreheads.

"Well," Tsukishima said as he stood over their bodies. "That was touching."

_Sheriff's Office_

Renji sighed and looked over at the prisoners. He then looked at his pocket watch. He was glad that Rukia wasn't there to see what he was willing to participate in.

"Are ya waiting for something?" Mila Rose asked.

"Shut up," Renji said. "You fucking Arrancars are responsible for this."

"How do you figure?" Apacci asked. "We're behind bars you fucking idiot. How could we be responsible for your problems?"

"YOU HAVE AN ACCOMPLICE OUT THERE!" Renji roared. "Everyone knows that Ulquiorra Schiffer was responsible for the deaths of a group of 45 Gotei soldiers, including my father."

"So, that's why you hate us so much," Starrk said. "Did Ichigo lose someone he loved to an Arrancar?"

"That's none of your fucking business."

"You know," Harribel said. "If you're going to surrender us over to a lynch mob, then don't you think you should tell us everything?"

Renji looked at her in surprise.

"How did you know?"

"Oh please, we're from the Hueco Mundo Wastes," Sung-Sun said. "We know all about lynch mobs. We know how many Arrancars the authorities in the Gensei Provinces and Borderlands handed over to lynch mobs."

"What about Lilynette?" Starrk asked. "Were you actually going to allow a mob to hang a child as well?"

"She's an Arrancar," Renji said.

"You bastard," Starrk said. "You are nothing more than a coward. At least your father died with dignity, but I wonder how he would react hearing that his own son would hand over prisoners to a lynch mob. How would he react if he heard that you were willing to hang a little girl?"

"DON'T TALK ABOUT MY FATHER, YOU FUCKING ARRANCAR!"

"Then don't hand Lilynette over to them. You call yourself a 'hero', but a hero does not participate in a lynch mob. Lynch mobs are for cowards and weaklings," Starrk said. "People who give into group rage only damn themselves. The gods show mercy for those who die unjustly and that include Arrancars. However, those who participate in mindless violence and do not repent of it are forever damned to wallow in the flaming river of blood."

"Is that what you Arrancars believe?"

"No, it's what Captain Ukitake believes," Starrk said and sighed. "However, an even worse punishment awaits those who would dare bring harm to a child if it's not limited to bringing them up right. I would think that lynching a child is punishable by having your stomach ripped open and the cavity filled with rabid rats before being sewn up at the very least."

"Sorry, but I don't believe in Hell," Renji said and smiled.

"No, but you do fear for your sanity," Mila Rose said. "Can you really live with yourself if you're partially responsible for a child's death?"

Renji tried to speak, but he couldn't say anything. Instead, he looked away from them. He reached for the drawer where he kept his revolver. He decided that he would just shoot every last one of them and to Hell with the consequences. That was when the door opened.

_Outside the Kurosaki Residence_

"What's going on here?" Isshin asked.

"Hey, Isshin, we were wondering if you were going to show up," a large fat man said.

"Frank, what's going on?" Isshin asked.

"What does it look like?" a weasel-looking man asked. "We're going to hang the fucking Arrancars for what they did. Renji agreed to hand them over to us."

"Are you insane?" Isshin asked. "They were not responsible for the murder of the Chief Justices. They were behind bars."

"That may be, but Ulquiorra is still out there. After all, why should you care? They're Arrancars."

"Are you listening to yourselves? None of you are killers. What's gotten into you? This isn't how things are done in the Gensei Provinces. If you do this, then you're little better than animals. Nothing good ever comes out of a lynch mob."

"If I didn't know any better, Isshin, I would say that you're an Arrancar-lover. Was your wife an Arrancar?"

Silence fell. Isshin looked at the weasel-faced man. The weasel-faced man smirked at him and then Isshin struck him in the face with his fist. The man backed away and reached up to his broken nose.

"You son of a…," he began and stopped when he saw the revolver aimed in his face.

"Now you all listen to me," Isshin said. "I know most of you here and you know me. For God's sake, you knew my wife. Jerry, your kid played with my son when he was five. Charles, your wife and my wife would get together to help with baking. Think about what you're doing. It's nothing but murder. Whether there's a purpose or not, murder is still murder. None of you are murderers. For God's sake, Frank, you own a butcher's shop. Your job is to cut up cattle; not string up kids. There's a little girl among the prisoners. What if she was your daughter?"

"Well I…" Frank began, but fell silent.

"She's an Arrancar," the weasel-faced man said, but hardly anyone cheered.

"Shut up," Isshin said and turned to the man. "You've caused enough trouble. I want all of you to go home and think it over. If you really want justice to be done, then let the Gotei Captains see to it. That's their job; not yours."

One-by-one the others looked at each other and began to go in the direction of their homes. Isshin smiled. The weasel-faced man scurried away like the rat he was. Frank put on of his large, beefy hands on Isshin's shoulders.

"You know, there are other lynch mobs forming all over town."

"I know, Frank, but no one from my neighborhood will be a part of it. Now, tell me where the other mobs are forming. I want to make sure that nobody in Karakura Town does anything they'll regret."

_Sheriff's Office_

"Orihime," Renji whispered. "What…what's wrong?"

"Renji, it's…it's Night Bringer. He…he came to get me. I ran as fast as I could. I...I don't know where he is now."

"Alright," Renji said and opened the drawer. "You're safe here, Orihime. When Ichigo gets here, I'll let him know what's going on."

"Thank you, Renji," Orihime said and launched herself at him and embraced him. "I'm…I'm so glad."

"Of course," Renji said and sighed. "Ichigo would hate it if anything happened to you. I'll stay here and…"

"What you'll do is back away and put your hands up," Orihime said and aimed Renji's own revolver at him. "I'm sorry, Renji, but…but you're wrong about them."

"Orihime…what are you doing?"

"This is a prison break," Orihime said and smiled. "I'm sorry to have tricked you like that. Oh, you guys better get away from the wall."

"Huh?" Apacci asked.

"GET DOWN!" Starrk cried out as he covered Lilynette.

The wall behind the cells exploded. When the dust cleared, Starrk saw a man and woman he didn't know standing on the other side.

"Wow, Miria that went better than I thought."

"I know, Isaac. That was INCREDIBLE!"

"Okay, so that ends that stage of our little train robbery. We robbed the sheriff. Now, what was the next stage?"

Starrk looked at the two and shook his head.

"Well, it is nice to see that no one got hurt," Ulquiorra said as he walked into the office. "Thank you for the distraction, Orihime. Did you get the keys?"

"I sure did," Orihime said and tossed Ulquiorra Renji's set of keys.

Ulquiorra went to the prison doors and opened them.

"Well, I'm glad that plan went well," Starrk said as he dusted himself off.

"Indeed," Ulquiorra said. "You better gather your things and get ready. Your horses are right outside."

"Then why did you blow up the wall?" Renji asked.

"There are two types of people in this world," Starrk said. "There are those who go out through the front door and there are those who go out through a hole in a wall."

"Apacci, Mila Rose, Sung-Sun, get your things and then go northeast for a ways," Harribel said. "Lilynette and Ulquiorra will go south while Starrk and I go northwest. We'll meet at the agreed location."

"You mean…you had this planned?" Renji asked.

"Well, we were really hoping that Ichigo would be cooperative, but since he wasn't…" Starrk said and sighed.

"Orihime, why are you helping them?" Renji asked.

"It's because…" Orihime said and shrugged. "I'm sorry Renji, but you and Ichigo wouldn't understand. Now, sit down. Lilynette, would you please do the honors?"

"Not a problem," Lilynette said and grinned.

"What are you doing?" Renji asked.

"Just this," Lilynette said and struck Renji on top of the head with one of the pieces of firewood lying by the stove. Renji went down with a crash and Lilynette stood over him. "Hmm, I wonder if I should hit him again."

"That is fine," Ulquiorra said. "He will be out for a while."

"Bel, here," Starrk said and held out her revolvers and gun belts.

"Thanks," Harribel said and strapped them on.

"We better hurry," Ulquiorra said. "People are starting to gather and some of them are carrying torches."

"A lynch mob must have arrived," Starrk said. As he broke into Rukia's desk and took out the three wooden boxes she kept there. "Lilynette, I believe this is yours," he said and held out her wooden box. Lilynette grabbed it and held it close to her. "Alright, let's get going," Starrk said and they rushed out into the night.

_Roof of the Sheriff's Office_

Yoruichi watched as the Arrancars and their helpers raced in different directions. The crowd below began to yell and try to give chase. She chuckled and looked at the explosives that she put over where the bars to the cells were and shook her head.

"Damn, and here I went through all of the trouble of actually getting things set up," she said and sighed. "Oh well at least they got out."

_Pinkerton Agency Offices_

Tatsuki took a sip of tea as she looked over the reports. She looked at the clock and saw that it was past 10 at night. She sighed as she put her tea cup back onto the saucer and allowed her head to fall back. She was about to fall asleep when she suddenly jerked awake. She stood up and her chair went crashing to the floor.

"That's it. I know where I've seen that cigarette case before," she said and rushed to where it laid.

She felt a surge of excitement and panic rise in her. The excitement was from remembering where she saw the cigarette case before and the panic was from what it meant.

"The boot prints were from a size 9 ½," she muttered. "The first time I saw that cigarette case it was in his hands. No…it's just not possible."

She reached for the cigarette case and opened it. On first look, it was an ordinary cigarette case, but if one took a closer look, they would see that the cushioning for the cigarettes was not original. She pried the cushioning away from the surface. She dumped the cushioning and cigarettes on the table, but was afraid of what she would find.

She kept it face-down on the table and tears began to flow from her eyes.

"Damn it," she moaned. "Why did I have to remember?"

_Inoue Residence_

"So anyways, this is my place," Orihime said as she entered with Starrk and Harribel. "The others should be arriving once they're done making the false trails."

"But all roads will lead here," Harribel said.

"Ulquiorra will take care of that," Orihime said and smiled. Then her smile faltered and her face became serious. "It's funny, but there was a time when I felt something for Ichigo, but…"

"It's alright," Harribel said. "I used to feel that way about…about someone from before. It happens."

"So tell me. Where did you get the explosives?" Starrk asked.

"Isaac and Miria brought them. They knew how to use them," Orihime said and smiled.

"I'll say," Starrk said. "They're a bit…odd."

"That's for sure," Orihime said. "Well, I better get things ready for the others."

"Do you live here all by yourself?" Harribel asked.

"Yeah, it was just me and my brother, but then he… You know what. Never mind what happened to my brother. There's no need to remember sad stuff right now."

"That's right," Starrk said and sighed.

"I'm sure Lilynette's alright," Orihime said. "She's with Ulquiorra right now."

"Yeah, she is," Starrk said and smiled.

"The others will be here early tomorrow," Orihime said. "They have to be careful. In the meantime, you two can take the guest bedroom. It's down the hall and the last door on your right. If you want I can get a bath ready."

"That would be nice," Harribel said. "I could use a bath right about now."

"Alright, then I'll get it ready for you. It shouldn't take that long since we got indoor plumbing installed a few weeks ago."

"Thanks," Harribel said and looked at Starrk who was looking out the window.

"It's quiet out there," Starrk said and sighed.

"I'm sure the others will be alright," Harribel said.

"I don't know. The night feels…uneasy about something."

"What direction is it coming from?"

"All around us," Starrk said. "The uneasiness is coming from all around us."

_Fort Kusajishi_

Captain Amagai made his way to the gates. It was a hard day and he only found twenty men who could still do patrol. The watch fires blazed as he made his way. He saw his Lieutenant at the gate with another man. Amagai stopped when he saw that they were working on the bolt that kept the gates shut.

"What are you doing?" Amagai asked.

"Oh, Captain Amagai," Kibune said. "We were trying to get the bolt in place."

"I checked it earlier and it was fine."

"Captain, you're exhausted," Kibune said. "You should go to your cabin and rest."

"No, I'm sure that this bolt was securely in place when I checked it earlier. What are you doing, Kibune?"

"As I explained, Captain, I was only trying to make sure that everything was secure."

"Then I suppose you would have no objections if I…"

That was when a gunshot rang out. The three men looked in the direction and then another gunshot came from somewhere else. Then bells began to ring out in alarm. Then another sound filled the air. It was the sound of hooves and the shouts of men on horseback. He watched as grappling hooks made out of bones reinforced with metal were being flung from the ground below. Arrows set on fire rained down on the courtyard, but he noticed that none were being aimed anywhere near the hut where the powder and ammunition was stored nor at the canons.

"EXEQUIAS!" someone cried out.

_That's impossible,_ Amagai thought. _It's been a while since they tried anything._

"Damn it," Kibune said. "Get the gates ready."

"Yes sir," the other man said and rushed to the gates.

"Kibune, what's he up to?"

"It's none of your concern, Captain," Kibune said.

"Damn it, General Yamamoto put me in charge and I want an answer. I'm your commanding officer."

Kibune was about to make his way towards the gate when he felt something pierce him in the stomach. He looked down and saw Kibune clutching a knife, the blade deep in his innards.

"I told you that it's none of your concern," Kibune said. "It's a pity. I liked you. I really did."

"Why?" Amagai moaned.

"It's because, you were wrong. You're not my commanding officer. Aizen is and this is what Aizen wants."

"Aizen?" Amagai whispered, unable to comprehend what he was hearing.

"That's right. Aizen is Shadow Lurker."

Amagai felt himself go limp and Kibune slid the knife out of him. He looked at his Lieutenant who was heading towards the gate which was beginning to swing open.

"You…bastard," Amagai hissed. He reached for his revolver.

"You know that you can't stop it," Kibune said.

"What is the first thing they teach you at the Academy?" Amagai whispered.

"Disarm your…" he stopped and his eyes went wide.

"You forgot," Amagai whispered and fired a single shot into Kibune's head.

Even as Kibune fell the ground dead, Amagai knew that Fort Kusajishi was lost. He could hear the sounds of grappling hooks taking hold on the walls. The sounds of steel clashing against steel filled the night air and the fires became brighter. He watched as Exequias soldiers on horseback rode through the gates. Some of the Exequias were getting busy loading the Cero-class cannons onto carts.

_Oh God,_ he thought. _They came for the cannons. They mustn't get the cannons._

Amagai got to his feet, revolver still in hand. The blossom of blood continued to spread as he staggered towards the Exequias.

"I am a Captain. I will do…do my…my duty," he whispered and raised his revolver. "I will do my duty no matter what."

Before he could finish he heard a gunshot and felt something dig into him. Captain Shusuke Amagai fell to his knees and he began to pant for breath. He heard footsteps and turned and saw Rudobon walking towards him. He tried to raise his revolver, but his strength was weakening.

"I don't like this, Alejo," Rudobon said. "There is no honor in this victory."

"I know, sir. But, it's what Aizen wants."

"What Aizen wants is none of my concern. I only know that to crush Karakura Town we need these canons." Rudobon knelt in front of Amagai and looked at him. "I would have rather fought this battle with honor. Alejo, I want you to execute all of those in Gotei uniforms who were working to betray their commander."

"Yes sir," Alejo said and rushed off.

Rudobon looked back at Amagai and sighed.

"You will die soon," he said as he stood up and withdrew his sword. "However, you would have died doing what you swore to do. There is no shame in such a death. I will give you a clean death by my own blade."

Amagai tried to get to his feet, but he couldn't. He heard Rudobon go behind him and only felt the blade pierce him at the beginning. Then all was over.

Rudobon stood over the former Captain's body and sighed.

"Bury this man and all of those who tried to fight to defend this place. They do not deserve to be made food for scavengers. I want you to do nothing with the bodies of those who betrayed their oaths. Their bodies shall be a feast for vultures. The rest of you, get those canons loaded up. We're heading south to the Garganta Pass."

_Inoue Residence_

Harribel wrapped herself in one of the towels that Orihime left. She made her way to the guest room where Starrk was still looking out the window.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No, nothing's wrong," Starrk said. "I thought I heard a wolf howl from somewhere."

"They'll be fine," she said and grabbed his arm. "Come on. Come to bed."

Starrk looked at her and smiled. He caressed her wet skin.

"You know. I really did miss you," he said.

"Then prove it," Harribel said and allowed the towel to fall to the floor. "Show me how much you missed me. Show me how much you missed this."

Then her lips were on his. They dragged each other onto the bed and allowed their bodies to do what they would. They relished in each other's touches and kisses. Whenever they became one like this, they both felt as though they had died and been renewed. Their voices rose high in unison as they reached the height of passion.

"I love you, Bel," Starrk panted, his naked body covered in sweat.

"I love you, my Wolf," Harribel said and caressed his cheek.

_Outside Karakura Town_

"I hope the others are alright," Lilynette said as she rode her pony, Strawberry back from the false trail that she and Ulquiorra made.

"I am sure that they will be fine," Ulquiorra said. "I would hate to think of what would have happened if I had not arrived when I did."

"Most likely Pineapple Head would have handed us over to the lynch mob," Lilynette said. "What a disgrace."

"He is a Borderlander," Ulquiorra said. "My guess is that he must have come from one of the southern towns like El Atormentado or Hanging Dog. They usually get it bad from Arrancar attacks."

"I know," Lilynette said. "I'm glad that you saved us."

"It wasn't just me," Ulquiorra said. "Orihime..."

"You like her don't ya?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You like Orihime. You like Orihime. You like Orihime," Lilynette sang.

"Did you do this when Starrk and Harribel were together?"

"Of course."

"We better hurry."

"Why? Are you missing Orihime?"

"No, but I am finding your remarks rather annoying."

_Sheriff's Office_

Dawn rose over Karakura Town. In only a couple of days, Día de los Muertos would be upon them. However, Ichigo had other problems than setting up the fake skeletons or preparing the trays of treats that he would pass out to the town's children.

Ichigo looked at the empty cells and the holes behind them and grimaced.

"Great, just fucking great," he said.

"Ichigo, I'm sorry," Renji said.

"And Orihime helped with this?" Ichigo asked.

"That's right."

"Rukia, I want you to go to Orihime's place. They're probably there, but keep it quiet. I don't want anyone to know that Orihime was involved. At this point tell anyone who asks that they had help, but we don't know from whom."

"Alright, but there were witnesses who said that Orihime was involved," Rukia said.

"I don't care. Say that they probably imagined it," Ichigo said.

"Alright," Rukia said. "Oh…good morning, Mr. Kurosaki. It's nice to see you again."

"Good morning, Rukia," Isshin said as he walked in. "I heard that your Arrancars escaped."

"Yeah," Ichigo said and sighed as he sat down. "This day couldn't possible get any worse."

At that moment, the door opened and Tsukishima stepped in with Tatsuki and Mizuiro and Keigo. Ichigo and Isshin looked at them and Ichigo sighed as he stood up.

"This is rather interesting," Tsukishima said. "I see two empty cells where there should be six Arrancars. What happened?"

"Why are you here, Tsukishima?" Isshin asked.

"Dad, it's alright. Tatsuki, why are you here?"

Tatsuki didn't respond. She looked at Ichigo and then looked away before finally answering.

"I'm doing my job," she whispered.

"Tatsuki, what's wrong?"

"Miss Arisawa brought some important information to my attention concerning a piece of evidence that was found at the crime scene," Tsukishima said. "I believe that someone here knows what this is," he said and held up the silver cigarette case.

Ichigo and Isshin gasped in surprise.

"Where did you get that?" Isshin asked.

"So you do recognize it?" Tsukishima asked and raised his eyebrows.

"Of course I do," Isshin said. "That's mine, but…that's not possible. Mine is still in my display case."

"It is not," Tsukishima said. "When Miss Arisawa brought this to my attention, we checked your house after obtaining a search warrant signed by Captains Hitsugaya and Kuchiki," he said and held up the warrant. "Your two daughters were very willing to help in whatever capacity they could."

"This…this is insane," Ichigo said. "And you found that at the crime scene in the Central 46 Rotunda?"

"That's right," Mizuiro said. "Ichigo, you must understand how hard this is for us to do."

"What are you saying?" Ichigo asked. "How do you even know that case belongs to us?"

"A very good question," Tsukishima said and opened the case. "I must admit, she was a beautiful woman," he said and showed the photos that were in the case. One photo showed Isshin and Masaki on their wedding day, looking into each other's eyes. The other photo showed Ichigo with his two sisters. "This is a heart box. It's a silver case that Gotei members used to store mementos of loved ones. It could be from photos or a letter to strands of hair or even a piece of jewelry. Mr. Kurosaki here must have been using it as a cigarette case. Now, the not makes perfect sense," Tsukishima said and he brought out the note that was found on Hanza Nukui's body.

"What are you talking about?"

"The letter has this passage here that I could not understand at first until Miss Arisawa brought my attention to the two photos. It reads, 'Our instructions are for you and your team to make the Gensei Provinces suffer. They were not there to save her nor did they see justice done.' It made perfect sense when I recalled that your wife, Mr. Kurosaki, was killed by the Arrancar known as the 'Big Fish' a few years ago. When he was caught, he was sent to Fort Seireitei, but along the way, he was killed. It's odd, don't you think? You said you were in Junrinan at the time, but I looked over your files and they mentioned that you were not in Junrinan the week that the 'Big Fish' was being transported to Fort Seireitei."

"What are you getting at?" Ichigo asked.

Tsukishima looked from Isshin to Ichigo and sighed.

"But his death wasn't enough, was it?" Tsukishima asked.

"Hold on, what are you suggesting?" Rukia asked.

"Yeah, we have a right to know," Renji said.

"Loyalty is such a fragile thing," Tsukishima said. "Isn't it, Sheriff Kurosaki? Tell me, what size boots do you wear?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Renji asked.

"Mizuiro, Keigo, search the premises."

"Yes sir," they said.

"I'm sure we won't find anything," Keigo whispered to Ichigo.

However, before Ichigo could ask him what he meant, Keigo went to the back office. Renji and Rukia looked at each other and then at Tsukishima who was only staring at Ichigo.

"Look, if you think that I was involved with whatever happened at the Central 46 Rotunda, you're wrong. I was knocked out in an alley with Shinji, the head of the Visored Squad. You can question him if you want."

"Well, that is good to know," Tsukishima said. "You would be interested to know that the revolver found at the scene belonged to another of your colleagues."

"Who?" Ichigo asked.

"Kugo Ginjo, who is currently in our custody," Tsukishima said.

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo asked.

Tsukishima only stayed silent. He looked away from Ichigo and down the hall. Ichigo turned and saw Mizuiro marching down the hall as though he was in a funeral procession. In his hands was a pair of bloody boots.

"These…were hidden in a closet," Mizuiro said and held up the boots. "I can't be sure, but this looks like blood."

Renji and Rukia gasped and looked at Ichigo whose face was completely pale. Tsukishima looked at him.

"You never did answer my question, Ichigo. What size boots do you wear?"

"9 ½," he whispered.

Tsukishima sighed and nodded. Keigo and Mizuiro brought out their handcuffs and approached Ichigo and Isshin. Tatsuki grabbed a chair and collapsed into it. Tears streamed from her eyes.

"Ichigo, how could you?" she asked.

"This is impossible," Rukia said.

"There must be some kind of mistake," Renji said.

"There's no mistake," Keigo said and sighed. "All of the evidence points to the same conclusion."

"Ichigo Kurosaki and Isshin Kurosaki," Tsukishima said as Keigo and Mizuiro locked the handcuffs around their wrists. "You are under arrest for the murder of Central 46 and are suspected of being the criminal known as 'Shadow Lurker'. You will be sent to Fort Seireitei to face trial. In the meantime, Renji Abarai and Rukia Kuchiki are suspended of their duties as Deputy until their names are cleared of any involvement in your crimes."

Ichigo swallowed as he and his dad were led outside. He could see people stop to stare as he and his dad were being escorted to the wagon outside. Then a weasel-faced man whom Isshin recognized rushed up and spat on Isshin.

"Look at this," he screamed. "Shadow Lurker has been arrested. Shadow Lurker has been arrested."

Tsukishima watched as the man ran away and suppressed a smile. He hoped that Gin offered a good price for that little service to be done as he asked. He only regretted that the man failed in his errand to raise a lynch mob to hang Starrk and Harribel.

_Oh well,_ he thought. _At least the majority of the obstacles are off the board._

Soon, the cry rose throughout Karakura Town. By midday, everyone was saying the same thing: "Shadow Lurker has been arrested." Ichigo Kurosaki was no longer known as the "Hero of Karakura Town." He was now known as "Shadow Lurker."

**End of Chapter 10**

**A.N.: Whew, I think this is the longest chapter I've written for this and a lot happened. I love writing Tsukishima's character since, like in the manga, he's so creepy and he's so hands-on with his schemes and yet he finds ways of getting others to come to the conclusion that he wants them to. Next chapter will be a flashback chapter about another duo and the title will be "Goodbye, Helcyon Days". That will be up sometime next week.**

**Thank you for reading and please review.**


	11. Chapter 11: Goodbye, Halcyon Days

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 11: Goodbye, Halcyon Days**

_The Borderlands, Thirteen Years Before_

"YOU WORTHLESS BITCH!"

The boy watched from the closet as his father struck his mother across her face. His mother was already badly beaten. He watched in horror as a trickle of blood flowed from her ear and corner of her mouth.

"Mommy," he whispered.

"Well now…look who it is," his father said. "Come her boy and look at your mama. She's nothing but a whore and now you're gonna see what whore's get. Hell, she was lucky that I was so charitable to let you and her stay when I found ya."

"No, please…don't," she pleaded.

"SHUT UP!" he roared and struck her again. "Now look at me boy. You see this?" he asked and held up the poker from the fireplace. "This is what…lying…cheating…no good…filthy…filthy…whores…GET!" he roared as he swung the poker up and brought it down her.

The boy began to cry. His father stopped and grinned at him, his black hair was plastered with sweat to his forehead. However, something about the maniacal grin on his face caused the boy to snap. He yelled as he ran to where his father's gun laid on the table. He grabbed it and held it up with both hands and aimed it at his father.

"So…ya gonna shoot me, boy? Then shoot me. Go on…be a man…and shoot me. HA! I knew it, you ain't no man. You're just a bastard. That's what you are. You're a fucking whore's bastard boy. And bastards go to HELL!"

The gun roared as the boy squeezed the trigger. He watched in horror as blood began to blossom on his father's shirt. He looked at him in shock and collapsed to his knees. The boy felt the rage that had boiled up inside him come spilling out. He fired again and again and again. He didn't notice the clicking sounds that the revolver made each time the hammer fell on a used-up cartridge. Tears spilled from his eyes.

"E-E-Enough," his mother croaked.

"I…I…I shot daddy," he sobbed.

"Come to Mommy. Mommy will make it all better," she said as she crawled towards him.

Her face was badly bruised and blood flowed onto the floor. The boy ran to his mother and embraced her. His tears mingled with her tears and blood.

"Mommy," he sobbed.

"Hush now," she said. "It's alright," she said but then began to cough. The boy knew that she wouldn't be alright. His father did too much damage this time and now his father was dead. "Do you…do you know how to reload a gun?"

The boy nodded. His father taught him that. He didn't know how many faces a man could have, but he had seen the best and worst of his father. The best were those times when his father taught him how to hunt and shoot and reload a gun and ride a horse. However, the worst were those times when his rage got the best of him and he would take his rage on his wife or on his young son.

Unfortunately, the worse had begun to win out more and more to the point where he was suspicious of his wife sleeping with other men in order to make money and then his own son wasn't even his. That paranoia only increased the level of violence he dealt and now he was dead and soon the young boy's mother would be dead as well. And the boy knew it.

"Mommy," he sobbed.

"Hush, don't cry. I…I won't be…be around…much longer. You…you'll have to be strong. Understand?"

"Yes Mommy," he said.

"That's my brave boy. Go…get…get the shells and…and reload the revolver."

He did as asked. However, he didn't know if he could kill his own mother as well. Yet, she was dying and if he just left her like that then she would die in agony. He knew that no matter what he chose, he was damned. He already killed his father and either way his mother was going to die. He was only a boy of eight years and he already knew about death. The continuous Arrancar attacks and the Gotei assaults taught him that much. The Borderlands were in a constant state of turmoil with the ongoing Arrancar-Gotei Wars.

"Now…run…run as far as you can," she said.

"Mommy…"

"I'll be fine, but you must run. If anyone tries to hurt you…shoot them. Do you…u—?"

She burst into another fit of coughing and this time more blood flowed from her mouth. She looked at her son and smiled. She reached for the silver pin she always wore, a family heirloom that dated back to when her family lived in Europe. It was a silver bat with emerald eyes. She pinned it onto his loose shirt and looked at him. Her bright green eyes seemed to plead for him to finish her. He closed his eyes and aimed the gun. He began to cry as the gun roared again. When it was done, he turned and ran. He never stopped running.

_Karakura Town, Thirteen Years Before_

Their mother and father were arguing again. Their shouts filled the room and then there came the sound of breaking glass. He knew that it was bad and it would only be a matter of time before one of them came in to take it out on either him or her sister who was clinging around his neck. He looked at the clock and saw that it would only be a few more minutes until he became of age.

"Soon, Little Princess," he whispered. "I'll get you out of here soon."

He looked to where the single suitcase laid on the bed. He already packed some clothes and he saved up his money to buy the train tickets that would take them away from this place. He didn't know where they were to go, but he only knew that it had to be away from this place. He heard the shouts coming closer to their room. Any moment, their father, drunk as skunk, or their mother, would be standing at the doorway to take their argument out on them. He looked at the clock and saw that it was now midnight. He was now of age.

"Come on, Little Princess, let's get out of here," he said.

His little sister grabbed hold of his pants leg and he smiled down at her. He grabbed her favorite toy, a stuffed bear she named Enraku. He looked at it and smiled as he knelt beside her.

"Keep a hold on Enraku," he said and handed the bear over to her. "He'll help to keep you strong and brave."

His little sister nodded and clutched Enraku in her small arms. He smiled at her and bent down to pick her up. She knew this game. He held Enraku by one paw and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Sora cradled her just under the buttocks and lifted her. He bent down and grabbed the suitcase as the door crashed open and their father came storming in with fists clenched. He stopped as he looked at his son.

"Where do ya think you're going?" he asked.

"I'm leaving. I'm legally of age and I'm taking my sister with me."

"No ya won't," he said and grinned. The smell of alcohol was heavy on his breath.

"I will. If she stays here then she'll die and I will not allow that. She's only three years old, dad and yet you and mom beat her every time she cries. I will not allow her to stay here."

"And what're ya gonna do ta stop me, boy?"

"If I have to, I will kill you."

"Ya wouldn't dare," he said and took a couple of steps forward.

He dropped the suitcase and took out the revolver he kept hidden under his coat and aimed it at his father. His father looked at it and sweat began to drip down his forehead.

"I will. If you or that bitch we call a 'mother' try to stop me from leaving, I will kill both of you."

"You…you'd hang if ya did."

"Then I would gladly do it if it meant getting rid of two animals like you."

"How dare you?" their mother asked from a corner. "How dare you talk to us that way?"

"Stay where you are, Arrancar…no…not Arrancar. Calling you Arrancars would be too generous. At least some Arrancars know how to take care of their children and they do it better than either of you."

"You…DARE…" their mother hissed.

"You little fucking bastard," their father said. He began to laugh. "I betcha didn't know that the gal you call 'sister' isn't even from my cock. Oh…she's from your mother's cunt, but not from your father's cock."

"I know. But she is still my sister even if she was some 'John's' seed. That's why I was born first…to protect her."

"Right, and how are ya gonna do that?"

"I already made arrangements," he said. "We're leaving and if you dare try to follow us…I will kill you both. This I swear on my own name. We will not come back here until both of you are good and dead and I will rejoice on that day."

"You…you've got a devil in ya," their father said and backed away. "Only a devil could kill in cold blood."

"If I have a devil in me, it's because of you," he said and re-holstered the gun. He picked up the suitcase and made his way to the door. He only stopped long enough to put down the suitcase and open the door. Not once did he put his sister down.

When he stepped out into the hall he heard footsteps rushing and heard their mother shouting behind them.

"YOU'LL DIE OUT THERE! YOU'LL DIE AND WE'LL BE DANCING ON YOUR GRAVES! NO SON OF MINE WILL TREAT US THAT WAY! THE LORD CURSE YA! THE LORD CURSE YA BOTH!"

He made his way into the cool March air and looked at his sister.

"Come along Orihime. Let's start this new adventure…together."

_The Hueco Mundo Wastes, Thirteen Years Before_

The boy staggered. Sweat beaded his brow. He didn't know how long he had been running. All that he knew was that he just wanted to die. The harsh sun beat down on him and the gun was heavy in his hand.

Ever since that night he survived by stealing food or money. He was a child whose childhood was far behind him and now he was doing whatever it took to survive. However, he never expected for the lands west of the Borderlands to be even worse. These were the lands where only the truly strong survived.

He staggered a little and thought he saw a dark figure in the distance. He tried to call out, but his throat was too dry and he could only make out a rasping noise. He tried to raise his hand, but his arm felt heavy and his head began to swim.

_I'm going to die,_ he thought. _Mommy…I'm coming Mommy._

Then all became black.

He didn't know how long he had been out, but when he opened his eyes he was no longer under the sun. He was in a hut. He looked around and all he could see was a small fire burning in a stone hearth. There was a kettle hanging over it and steam was starting to whistle from it.

"Ah it's ready," someone said.

He watched as an old man made his way to the kettle and removed it from its hook. He walked to the table and poured some of the water into a teapot. He set the kettle on a stone surface and looked into the tea kettle before covering it. He wiped his hands and looked over to where the boy laid. He smiled.

"And you're awake," he said. "You know you're lucky to be alive."

"Where am I?"

"You're in my house," he said and picked up something from the table.

"THAT'S MINE!" he cried out when he saw the silver bat broach.

"Is it?"

"My mother gave that to me before she…before she…"

The old man sighed and walked towards him. He cowered, thinking of all the times his father would stand over him like that only to beat him. However, the old man put a hand to the boy's black hair and ruffled it.

"What's your name?"

"I…I don't…" he began.

"You can't remember. Or could it be that you were never named because your mother was a prostitute?" He flinched at that and the old man nodded. "I thought as much. Where do you come from?"

"Outside Kagamino," he said.

"You came all the way form the Borderlands? How did you survive for this long?"

"I stole."

The old man looked at him. He got up and poured some of the tea into a chipped cup. He held it out for the boy.

"Drink, it will help. But drink it slowly. When was the last time you ate anything?"

"I don't know," he said and took a sip of tea. His lips puckered at the bitterness, but it did seem to help with his throat.

"I see. Then I better fix something up for ya."

"Wait, what's your name?"

The old man looked at him and smiled.

"My name is Antonin Schiffer."

That night, Antonin watched as the boy slept. He watched as the boy clutched the silver broach and began to cry. As he watched the wet tears shine on his face he thought of a name for the boy. He heard a flapping noise and he looked up and saw a bat fly in through the window. He watched as it fluttered across the room and then land on top of the boy. Antonin stood up and was ready in case the bat made a move to attack, but instead the bat licked the boy's tears. He stood in awe and the boy only said a single word before drifting to sleep: "Mommy."

The morning sun came in through the window and the boy stirred. He could barely remember the part of his dream where his father said that he came to take him to Hell as blood poured form the bullet holes. However, he could remember the part where his mother came to him and how soft her touch was as she swept away his tears. He looked around expecting to see his mother sitting next to him, but instead he only saw Antonin rocking in a chair next to him.

"Good morning," Antonin said.

"Where's Mommy? I dreamed she was here."

"She had to go back to Heaven. However, she wanted you to have a name and she showed me what it should be. Would you like to hear it?"

"Yeah, but…can I have your last name?"

"Why would you want that?"

"The man I called 'Father' wasn't very nice, but you are. And you took care of me."

Antonin smiled and nodded as he thought about how the name as a whole sounded. It sounded right for the boy.

"Alright, I don't mind."

"So…what's my name?"

Antonin leaned forward and put one old man's deeply tanned, leathery hand on his face and smiled.

"Your name is Ulquiorra Schiffer."

_Fort Seireitei, Nine Years Before_

Orihime Inoue ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She ran to the amphitheater were the crowds were getting ready to watch the graduates prepare to march. She got to her knees and began to crawl through the forest of legs of the spectators and made her way to the very front of the spectator's stands just as the band began to play the Gotei's anthem. Around her the crowd burst into song:

_Hail to the Guardians_

_Who protect the green fields_

_With the red of their blood_

_Fortitude be their shield_

_Honor be their blade_

_Rise Up_

_Rise Up_

_Rise Up_

_We keep our daily vow_

Then the crowds burst into applause as the band struck up a marching song. Orihime watched as the graduates from the Gotei Academy began to march out according to their class ranks. She looked for him and then cheered as her brother came marching out with his class. The applause filled the air as the graduating cadets marched around the field and then salute the stands where the Captains and General Yamamoto stood, saluting them as they passed.

Orihime felt tears in her eyes as she watched Sora march past. She knew that he must have seen her since she saw the corners of his mouth raise in the slightest hint of a smile.

When all of the graduating cadets were in their proper ranks, General Yamamoto approached the front of the stage.

"It is my great honor to welcome you to the Gotei. Yesterday, you were mere cadets. You came to us from many different backgrounds and Provinces and even as far west as the Borderlands. However, today, you are all members of the Gotei. During the month of your transition, you will be living in the Gotei barracks where you will have an opportunity to get to know the Squads. During this month, representatives from each Squad will come among them and you will have the opportunity of finding out more about each Squad they will have the opportunity of getting to know you. Then, the Captains will decide who they want to bring into their Squads and you can either accept or reject their offers.

"But know this. Even though you may be separated into different Squads, you are all members of the Gotei. We act as one and we serve as one. We are united in our cause to protect the Gensei Provinces and the Borderlands from those who would wish us ill. WE ARE ALL GOTEI!"

There was a round of applause and cheers and roars of approval when he said that. Yamamoto held ups his hand and the band began to play the Gensei National Anthem. People put their hands over their hearts and they began to sing:

_Arise, oh children of the Gensei_

_Your time has come_

_Take hold_

_Take hold the banner green_

_Take hold the sharpened steel_

_And rise to face your foes_

_And rise to face your foes_

_For those who came before_

_And those how are yet to come_

_Make this land pure_

_ARISE, CITIZENS_

_FORM YOUR LINES_

_MARCH NOW_

_MARCH NOW_

_And let the foe's blood_

_Water our fields red_

When everyone finished, cheers erupted. Then the families of the graduating cadets were allowed to join their relatives. Orihime rushed over to her brother and embraced him.

"YOU DID IT!" she screamed as she launched herself into his waiting arms.

"I did," Sora said and kissed Orihime on the forehead.

"Well, now look at what we have here. Is this your daughter, Sora?"

"Oh, Captain Kurosaki, no sir, she's my little sister, Orihime. Orihime, this is Captain Isshin Kurosaki of Squad 10."

Orihime ducked behind her brother and peered out from behind him. Isshin burst out laughing.

"Aw, she's just shy," Isshin said. "Maybe I should get Masaki. She has a way with children."

"I know," Sora said. "I've seen how she is."

"So, where did she stay while you were living in the barracks?"

"She stayed with Captain Unohana. Every time I saw her she kept telling me how great Captain Unohana is."

"Yeah, she's a great woman," Isshin said. "Although," he said in a whisper, "don't tell her that I said this, but Masaki is an even better woman."

"I don't think that Captain Unohana would mind you saying that your wife is a better woman than she is," Sora said and the two began to laugh.

"Oh, there you are," someone said. "I was wondering where you went off to."

"Hey Masaki, I'm trying to make conversation with this little lady here, but she's too shy. Could you help me out here?"

"Certainly," Masaki Kurosaki said as she got closer. She was pushing a dual carriage in front of her where two little girls were looking around in wide-eyed wonderment. At her side was a boy with orange hair. "Could you look after Yuzu and Karin, though?"

"Certainly," Isshin said and he brought out some clothes pin and put on his "funny beard" for them. The two girls giggled and clapped their hands.

"Hello, I'm Masaki. What's your name?"

"Orihime," Orihime said and she looked down in embarrassment and began to shuffle one foot.

"You know, you look to be about my son's age. Come here Ichigo," she said and held out a hand to the orange-haired boy.

"Don't wanna," the boy said and looked away.

"Aw…don't ya want to make a new friend?"

Ichigo gave a little pout and made his way to his mother.

"I'm Ichigo," he said and held out his hand, but didn't really look at her.

"I'm Orihime," she said and looked at his hand. She looked up at her brother who smiled at her and nodded. Her eyes seemed to brighten as she took Ichigo's hand. "It's nice to meet you," she said beaming.

Ichigo stared at her, his brown eyes wide and then he looked away. "Tch…whatever," he said.

"Ah, Sora, I see that you are already making connections with Captain Kurosaki and his family."

They turned and Sora's eyes brightened. He knelt beside his sister.

"Orihime, I want you to meet someone very important to me. He was the head of my dorm even though he graduated a few years before I did. He kinda taught me the ropes and also made recommendations for me so that way I could help support you. Sir, this is my sister, Orihime."

"Ah yes, Sora has told me so much about you. It's a pleasure to meet you," the brown-haired young man said as he knelt to Orihime's level and held out a hand. "I am Souske Aizen."

_The Hueco Mundo Wastes, Nine Years Before_

"Try again," Antonin said.

Ulquiorra got up and looked at the old man. The old man smiled and turned his back. Ulquiorra crept up and tried to attack, but the old man dodged and Ulquiorra went sprawling.

"You looked," Ulquiorra said.

"No, you made too much noise."

"I did not."

"Ulquiorra, every step makes a sound that a person can hear if they really listen for it. The point of a tracker is to make sure they're unseen by their enemies. That way they can either lead their allies past an enemy's ambush or even set up an ambush themselves. Now, I want you to close your eyes and I'll blindfold you."

"What good is this going to do?"

"It'll help your other senses to become better. When you take away one sense, the other senses must be able to compensate for it. People who are blind tend to have sharper hearing, smelling, and touch in order to compensate for the loss of sight. You must become like a bat, Ulquiorra. A bat uses its natural abilities to navigate and find prey. You must learn this and the only way I can see for that to happen is to take away your sight, but not permanently of course."

"This is stupid," Ulquiorra said as he closed his eyes and Antonin tied a black piece of cloth around his eyes.

"You said that you wanted to become a Tracker. Why is that?"

"I…I don't know," Ulquiorra said.

"Does it have something to do with your mother?"

Ulquiorra stiffened and then nodded.

"She said that my real dad was a Tracker. I want to find out who he is."

"And you think that for that to happen you have to become a Tracker?"

"YES!"

"Alright, but it doesn't make much sense. Now listen, in a few years' time you'll become old enough to go to the Gotei Academy. Now, when you go, you must not tell anyone that you're from the Hueco Mundo Wastes."

"Why not?"

"It's not safe. But in the meantime, I want you to be able to compete with the best of them. Then…then you can find your own path."

"What are you saying?"

"Maybe later, but right now let's get you started. I want you to take ten steps forward and then ten steps backward while blindfolded. I want you to repeat the process ten times. Can you do that?"

"Yeah," Ulquiorra said.

He took the steps, each time concentrating on how many steps he made. At the end of the tenth time doing it, he stopped.

"Why'd you stop?"

"You only said to do it ten times."

"That means that you were only focusing on the steps. Now, I want you to take as many steps forward as you can, but this time I want you focus on what you can feel, hear, and smell. I don't want you to pay any attention to the steps only to what your other senses are telling you. Now let's begin."

_Fort Seireitei, Nine Years Before_

Sora Inoue sat at his desk when there was a knock on the door to his room. He walked over to it and glanced over at Orihime who was drawing in the corner. He opened the door and saw Souske Aizen standing outside.

"Aizen what are you doing here?" he asked and looked at Orihime. "Now's not a good time," he whispered.

"I understand," Aizen whispered. "However, we need to talk about your part."

"I know what my part is," Sora whispered and looked over to where his sister was still drawing. "Look, I'm trying, but do you know how difficult it is to get into Kage no Tanken."

"I know. That's what I needed to talk to you about. It seems as though I misjudged one of the Privatized Squads. I thought that the only way to gain access to Kage no Tanken was by having someone join it. It turns that I was wrong."

"What are you talking about?"

"I need for someone to become at least a Regional Director for the Pinkerton Agency and right now the most logical pick is you."

"Why me?"

"It's because you got the marks in the courses that the Pinkerton Agency finds very promising. I want you to send in your application."

"What about Gin or Kaname? Wouldn't they be better suited?"

"I have something else in mind for them," Aizen said.

"I…I can't," Sora said. "Look, I've been thinking about it and…"

"Don't you want Orihime to live in a world free from the suffering she's known? I can bring that about."

"I know, but the more I think about this plan…Aizen, what if we fail?"

"We won't fail," Aizen said. He looked into the room at where Orihime was still drawing. She looked up and waved. Aizen gave a little raise of his hand in return.

"Orihime," Sora said. "I'm gonna talk to Souske outside. You keep on drawing."

"Okay," Orihime said and began to hum to herself.

Sora closed the door behind him. In the room, Orihime continued to draw the picture of a boy with orange hair and then she began to draw another boy with black hair and green eyes whom she only saw in her dreams.

_The Hueco Mundo Wastes, Nine Years Before_

_He dreamed of her again. Each night he saw her standing in the dessert. Her orange hair flowed in the night wind and a pair of white wings emerged from her back. She turned and looked at him. Her brown eyes lit up in glee when she saw him. She raised a hand in greeting and he approached her. Somewhere in the distance he saw a wolf, a wolf cub, and a doe looking at them. The wolf raised its head and howled at the crescent moon that shone down on the bone-white sands._

_"Ulquiorra," she said. "Come on, they're waiting for us."_

_"Who's waiting for us?"_

_"All of our friends."_

_"I don't understand. What friends?"_

_He suddenly felt a hand grip him. He turned around and nearly screamed. He was looking into his father's wild and crazed face. He was holding out a gun for him._

_"You ain't got no friends," his father said as he began to bleed. "A bastard child like you don't need friends but this," he said and held out the gun. "Take it. Take it and kill…kill…KILL!"_

Ulquiorra woke up screaming.

_Fort Seireitei, Nine Years Before_

Sora looked to where Orihime sat reading her textbook. He was glad that she was starting school. He took off his uniform jacket and looked at the kanji for 10 on it. He decided, no more of that Aizen decided, that he should join the tenth Squad. Now Aizen had at least three people in all of the Squads, but Sora was not feeling comfortable about Aizen's scheming. He knew that he should tell someone, but he gave his word not to tell anyone. Plus, Aizen made sure to bring his sister into it.

_Orihime, what have I done? What have I gotten us into?_

He began to wish that he never met Souske Aizen in the first place. He sighed as he sat down and then heard a knock at the door.

"Aizen, I thought I told you…" he began but stopped when he saw that Aizen wasn't at the door.

He looked at Lieutenant Carson Abarai who looked at him and cocked his head to the side.

"Oh…I'm sorry, Lieutenant Abarai," Sora said. "I thought you were someone else."

"Quite understandable," Lieutenant Abarai said. "I'm…afraid I have some bad news. Your mother and father are dead."

"What?"

"They were killed in a raid by the Arrancar calling himself, 'Grand Fisher', but he's also known as the 'Great Fish'," he said and handed Sora the telegram. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Abarai," Sora said. A conflict of emotions swirled through him as he looked at the telegram.

"I'll…leave you and your sister in private."

After Lieutenant Abarai closed the door, Sora looked at the telegram.

"Good," he hissed. "Good. Good. Good. Good. Good," he said over and over. His breath became heavy and he began to sob. "Good….Good….Good…Good….G-G-G." He collapsed to his knees and began to cry.

"Big Brother…" Orihime whispered and she rushed to him and hugged him. "Big Brother what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," he said and looked at her and smiled. "It's just that we can go home again. I want you to pack your things. I'll request a transfer. We can go home and you can see Ichigo again. I'm sure he'd like to see you again."

"Alright," Orihime said and smiled. "I'll tell Enraku," she said and rushed to the stuffed bear she kept for so many years.

Sora looked at the telegram and crumpled it in his hand and smiled. He knew that this news gave him a way out of Aizen's schemes. He was not only free of those monsters that he called "mother and father", but now he was rid of Aizen and his schemes. And that meant that Orihime would be safe.

"Good."

_The Hueco Mundo Wastes, Nine Years Before_

"Ulquiorra, get up," Antonin said and shook him awake.

"What is it?"

"Someone's coming. It's probably one of those new gangs trying to find recruits. You mustn't let them find you."

"Why?"

"Now's not the time for questions. Just hide."

"HELLO! IS ANYONE HOME?" someone shouted.

"Come on, let's break down the fucking door," another voice said.

"Shut up," another voice said and then they banged on the door. "This is the Gotei, open up."

"What is Gotei doing in the Hueco Mundo Wastes?" Antonin asked.

"We're searching for anyone with any connections with the Exequias Army. We've received orders to come into the Wastes."

"Just a minute," Antonin said and opened the door. "Well, this is a surprise," he said and three men dressed in the uniforms of the Gotei with the kanji for 11 on their collars. "You really are Gotei."

"Of course we are," one of them said and laughed. "We're here under orders from Captain Kenpachi Kiganjo."

"I heard he's a ruthless and brutal man," Antonin said. "Would you like some tea?"

"We don't want any of your fucking tea, Arrancar. We're looking for men from the Exequias. We'd prefer one of their officers like Alejo or Skullak or even the kingpin himself, Rudobon."

"I'm sorry, but I don't know any of those gentlemen."

"Why you…" one of them snarled and struck Antonin across the face. "TOSS THE PLACE! If anyone else is hiding here then make sure he pays the price for lying to men of the Gotei."

"NO!" Ulquiorra shouted and rushed out from under the bed.

"Well now," one of the soldiers said and grabbed Ulquiorra. "Look what we have here. It's another piece of shit Arrancar wasting up space."

"He's still a fucking kid. How old are you, boy?"

"Let me go," Ulquiorra said.

"He's got a mouth on him," one of the soldiers said and struck Ulquiorra across the mouth. "Tell me old man, what have you been doing with this kid? I bet ya ain't had a woman in years."

"I'm his father," Antonin said. "His mother died in childbirth."

"LIAR!" Ulquiorra yelled out as one of the Gotei struck Antonin across the mouth. "I bet his mother was a good-for-nothing whore. Yeah…all Arrancars have whores for mothers and they fuck their li'l sisters to prepare them for the family job."

"Is that…what they teach you in the Gotei?" Antonin asked.

"Fuck you old man," he said and then looked at his two fellow soldiers, one was still holding Ulquiorra. A wicked gleam entered his eye. "I got an idea. I know of a way to get the Arrancar out of this li'l brat here. Richards, drag his old ass outside. Finley, bring the boy."

"Yes Lieutenant Sade," Richards said and he grabbed Antonin by the collar. "Come on Pops. Let's go outside and play."

The three men laughed as they left the hut. Ulquiorra struggled, but Finley kept a tight grip on him. Richards kicked Antonin into the dirt.

"So, what are we gonna do?" Finley asked.

"That's easy," Lieutenant Sade said and held up Ulquiorra's revolver. "The kid dropped this. It's evidence that he must be at least part of an Arrancar gang."

"Tch…or maybe he's an Espada in the making," Richards said.

"Yeah," Lieutenant Sade said and grinned. "I bet the old man here is his mentor. So tell me, kid, what's he been teaching you?"

"Don't tell him," Antonin said.

"SHUT UP!" Richards screamed and kicked him in the head. "That proves it. He's training this kid to become an Espada."

Sade frowned and aimed his own gun at Antonin.

"Answer me, kid. What's he been teaching you?"

"He's been teaching me how to be a Tracker," Ulquiorra blurted out.

They were silent. Richards's mouth dropped open and he looked at Finley.

"What's your name, old man?" Sade asked.

"I'm Antonin Schiffer," he said and closed his eyes.

"Holy shit," Richards said and he brought out his own revolver. "TRAITOR! COWARD! BRIGAND! FUCKER!"

"That's enough," Sade said. "Are you the same Antonin Schiffer who led his entire party into an ambush?"

"I am. I would gladly do it again," Antonin said as he got to his knees and glared at them. "They raped my wife in front of me and they left her to die somewhere." He closed his eyes as though debating something, but then he nodded. "She was pregnant when they did it."

"You're a lot older than I thought," Lieutenant Sade said.

"The Wastes can age a man as well as an uneasy mind. I gave her a gift for our wedding," he said and looked at Ulquiorra. "La Noche trae la Deseperación," he said and Ulquiorra's eyes widened. It was the inscription on the silver bat broach which Ulquiorra always kept with him. Even now it was tucked in his boot.

At first he thought it was a lie, but that was when he noticed the various physical attributes that he and Antonin shared. They both had the same thin face and the same scrawny build. He was sure that when he was younger he was just as pale and had the same raven black hair.

"Dad," he whispered.

"I never knew what happened to her until I found him. He looks so much like her, especially his eyes. They're the same green eyes she had."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know," he whispered.

"Well, ain't this a nice big happy family reunion," Sade said and grinned. "All that we're missing is the whore. Oh well. I know exactly what we need to do."

Sade opened the revolver's cylinder and took out the cartridges except for one. He closed the cylinder and then palmed it. The cylinder spun around and around. Sade looked at them and grinned. When the cylinder stopped, he closed his eyes and began to flick his wrist back-and-forth so that way the muzzle pointed at Ulquiorra and then Antonin. The muzzle stopped at Ulquiorra and he opened his eyes.

"Looks like you're up. Aim it at him and fire. If you try anything…well, there are three fully loaded guns and this one only has one bullet. Whoever shoots the other, wins and we take them with us. Does that sound like a fun game?"

"Ulquiorra," Antonin said and nodded. "How did she die?"

Ulquiorra closed his eyes and remembered that night. He shook his head and opened his eyes, tears began to flow. He aimed the revolver at Antonin's head, but he allowed his fingers to move the cylinder two chambers left where he knew the bullet was. He understood that nod and the look on Antonin's face. His training had sharpened his senses enough to be able to keep track the sound that the bullet made as it spun around.

"I shot her," Ulquiorra said. "Dad, are you sure?"

He was tempted to move it another cylinder over, but Antonin nodded his head. Ulquiorra closed his eyes and fired. The sound filled the night air and somewhere a bat heard it and began to weep.

_Karakura Town, Eight Years Before_

Orihime rushed down the street. The yells of the girls behind her were coming closer. They chased her because they hated her hair. They were always going on about how she shouldn't show it off the way she did. She ran, but then her feet tripped over each other and she went sprawling.

"THERE SHE IS!" one of the girls shouted and she saw them blocking the alley.

"Well now, look at this," one of them said and laughed. "An Inoue in an alley, that's just like her mother."

"Yeah, my Mom told me all about the Inoue family."

"Tch…she even has whore's hair. Are you going to become a whore?"

"Yeah, I bet when she grows up she wants to be like her mom and let all the boys kiss her."

"MY MOMMY'S DEAD!" Orihime shouted.

"Tch…good riddance," another said. "Your mommy was a whore. I know, let's make sure that her hair doesn't tempt her."

"Yeah…girls with long hair always become whores," another said and they converged on her.

Orihime screamed and cried as the girls cut her hair. When they were done they laughed as they left. Orihime sat in the alley crying.

"Hey, are you alright?"

She looked up and saw Ichigo looking at her.

"I'm…I'm alright," Orihime said and gave another sniffle.

"You don't look alright," Ichigo said.

"I said I'm fine," Orihime said and rushed off.

"Hey…"

Orihime didn't listen. She ran. Her eyes were clenched shut to try to stop the tears. She didn't know where she was going. She only knew that her brother would be so disappointed in her. She turned a corner and slowed down. She caught her breath and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Orihime?"

Her eyes flew wide when she recognized her brother's voice. She didn't turn around. She didn't want him to see her cry.

"What's wrong? What happened to your hair?"

"Oh…" she said and was able to put a smile on her face as she turned around. "I just felt like a change. That's all."

"Oh," Sora said. He knew that she was hiding something, but knew that it wouldn't do any good to ask her what it was. "I know. Let's get some ice cream. Would you like that?"

"Okay," Orihime said and her smile became genuine.

"Well, let's go," Sora said and held out his hand. She took it and they walked down the street.

_Fort Seireitei, Five Years Before_

Ulquiorra Schiffer sat at the table and sipped at his tea. His training went very well and the Onmitsukido instructor was praising him and asking him to demonstrate his talents. He only obliged because he viewed it as getting extra practice in. He brought out the silver bat broach and looked at it. He pressed the button to the side that he discovered his first year at Fort Seireitei and it revealed a younger Antonin smiling as he embraced the woman whom Ulquiorra knew was his mother.

_So, he really was a Tracker,_ he thought. He sighed as he closed the latch and put the broach back into his pocket.

"So, you're Ulquiorra Schiffer."

Ulquiorra immediately stood up and saluted.

"I am, Captain Shihoin," he said in his monotonous voice.

"At ease," Yoruichi said. "I've been hearing wonderful things about you from the Onmitsukido instructor. Would you please care to demonstrate?"

"If Captain Shihoin requests it, then I shall be more than happy to oblige."

"Excellent, then you can practice against me," Yoruichi said.

Ulquiorra cocked his head slightly. It was a habit he had whenever he was confused about something.

"I am afraid I do not understand."

"I want to know how well you can do against me," Yoruichi said and smiled. "I'm sure that Captain Urahara will be more than happy to spot for us."

"Is this still a request or is it an order?"

"Well, I guess you could consider it an order," Yoruichi said and smiled.

"Very well then," Ulquiorra said. "Then I shall obey."

"Very good," Yoruichi said and smiled.

They made their way to the Onmitsukido Training Ground. Ulquiorra knew the grounds by heart and he immediately calculated that there were a total of 340 potential hiding spots as well as over 1,000 ways that he could alert her to her presence.

"To make this a bit more exciting, I'm going to blindfold both of you," Kisuke said as he came forward with two sets of black cloths.

"That sounds agreeable," Ulquiorra said and he closed his eyes.

"This is going to be interesting," Yoruichi said. "Kisuke, I would like for you to keep an eye on the clock. Ulquiorra, your job will be to find me and capture me within a thirty-minute time limit."

"As you wish," Ulquiorra said. "I suppose that you wish to see how well I do in a nighttime environment?"

"That's right," Kisuke said as he leaned against a tree. "Alright, Yoruichi, you may go and hide. Ulquiorra when I tell you to, you may go and hunt her down."

Yoruichi rushed off into the forest. Ulquiorra concentrated on hearing and smelling. He could now get a reading of her foot patterns and her scent.

"Alright, Ulquiorra, you may go."

Ulquiorra made his way forward. He could barely hear his footsteps on the grassy surface and knew that he was too loud. He allowed his footsteps to become lighter, a trick that Antonin taught him. He listened to how the air flowed and knew that he was approaching trees. He stopped and stopped to the ground and felt the grass. He could feel a footprint that pointed slightly to the left. He went that way. Every fifty steps, he stopped to feel the ground. If he didn't feel a footprint then he would go back twenty five steps and then simply either go forward and backward by half the number until he found where the footsteps diverged.

He made his way through the trees and would stop whenever he felt a branch under his foot before he fully stepped on it. He was amazed at how sharp and sensitive his other senses became from years of practicing this sort of activity. He would practice whenever he could. At night, he would set up obstacles on the floor in his room and blindfold himself before shutting off the lights. Then he would make his way around the room to retrieve various specific objects that he would toss onto various surfaces at random. This made sure that his acute senses would stay in focus. To keep his eyesight keen, he would practice target shooting from great distances would even do it at night in order to maintain a strong night vision.

He stopped every now and again to listen and took every inhalation as a means of getting her scent. Then, he caught it. He made his way swiftly and carefully through the forest. He heard something snap from above him and he nodded to himself. She was moving. She was stealthy, but trying to move through the branches was risky. Each leaf could become a potential signal of your location. And despite her small size, Yoruichi was setting them off. To a normal ear, it would be extremely faint, but Ulquiorra's ears were so sensitive that when he fully focused on hearing he could hear a cockroach making its way across a surface 100 yards away.

He crouched and then leapt into the air. He felt the wind resisting something coming towards him and he reached out by instinct and grabbed her foot. They came crashing back to the ground and Ulquiorra put Yoruichi in a hand lock.

"Do you surrender?" he asked.

"Well…that was quite impressive," Yoruichi said.

"Well done," Urahara said and clapped as he made his way towards them. "That took you about 27 minutes to accomplish. You missed the record by about two minutes."

"I thank you for this opportunity," Ulquiorra said. "It gave me an actual workout that all of my practice would not have been able to give me."

"The pleasure was all mine," Yoruichi said. "It's not every day that a true Night Bringer comes around."

"'Night Bringer,'" Ulquiorra muttered, tasting the words. "I am unfamiliar with the term."

"It's given to describe someone who is so stealthy that it's as though they're a part of the night itself and can even be that way in the day," Urahara said. "Not many people use it any more. Yoruichi and I had an instructor who put that title on us."

"That's right," Yoruichi said. "In all of my years as a Captain only you and one other can be described as 'Night Bringer', but that other guy dropped out to attend training for the Pinkerton Agency. It's a shame. He would have made an excellent Tracker."

"While that was a great exercise, I am afraid that I must be going. I have to get prepared for my next course."

"Now wait just a minute," Urahara said. "The reason why we invited you out here for the demonstration is because we're sending an expedition out into the Hueco Mundo Wastes. They're in need of a Tracker and you're it."

Ulquiorra turned to look at them.

"That's right," Yoruichi said. "We're sending you to Karakura Town to meet up with the other forces. It's going to be headed by Captain Abarai of Squad 10 and Captain Kiganjo of Squad 11."

"Last year, Captain Kurosaki was head of Squad 10. Did he retire?"

"He's now acting as Sheriff for Karakura Town," Urahara said. "At any rate, you're the Tracker for the expedition. Do you accept?"

"I do," Ulquiorra said and bowed.

"Alright, you'll be leaving this afternoon with a group of the transfers to Karakura Town," Yoruichi said.

"Thank you for this opportunity," Ulquiorra said and saluted.

"No, thank you," Urahara said and saluted.

As Ulquiorra marched away, Urahara let out a sigh. He looked at Yoruichi.

"Do you think we did the right thing in sending him? I mean, you do know what his last name would remind people of."

"Yeah, Antonin Schiffer," Yoruichi said. "Hell, he even looks like him. But he's the best we have right now since he left. Besides, maybe he can redeem the Schiffer name."

"That's a tall order. Antonin Schiffer's betrayal nearly cost the Gotei everything. If General Yamamoto didn't have those reserves, then the Arrancar army would have completely crushed over a half of the Gotei forces and maybe even overrun the Gensei Provinces up to the Senkaimon River. But you're right. He's the only one who's capable of being the Tracker for this assignment since Tsukishima left."

_Senkaimon Express, Five Years Before_

"Is someone sitting here?"

"At the present moment, no," Ulquiorra said.

"Would you mind?"

"Please, the seat is available and you have a right to sit anywhere."

"Thanks," the brown-haired man said as he sat down. "I'm Souske Aizen."

"I am Ulquiorra Schiffer. I understand that you are the one I heard about."

"Oh…and who told you about me?"

"I hear people talking," Ulquiorra said. "I heard them mention that you are in need of a Tracker. The logical choice is that you would seek me out."

"And I found you."

"No, I allowed you to find me," Ulquiorra said as he closed his book and looked around. "I was offered the position from Captains Urahara and Yoruichi and I accepted because of this plan I have been hearing about."

Aizen's mouth tightened at that.

"Do not worry. Very few who hear such talk take it very seriously. There have been many plots to bring down the Gensei Provinces and all have failed."

"Where did you hear this?"

"I heard it from you at one of your 'secret meetings'. You know, you really need to do a better job in making sure no one is eavesdropping."

"Impressive," Aizen said in awe. "The rumors were true. Tell me, did they tell you anything concrete? Did they give you information?"

"The only information that they gave was that Squads 10 and 11 are heading it. I am sure that a member from one of those Squads can get you what you want."

"I see," Aizen said and he smiled. "I know of someone who can get me that information. However, I do have one question for you."

"Then ask," Ulquiorra said.

"Why are you helping me?"

"That is a fair enough question and one that requires an answer. I am doing this because I know that there is no real point to it. There is no meaning behind their slogans and marches and uniforms. It is all nothing more than a pile of ashes that is waiting for a wind to blow it all away. They showed me that if you become involved with such trivialities as love and family and honor and friends, then you will only be crushed beneath the burden of grief when it is taken away from you."

"Do you wish for vengeance then?"

"No. I wish for nothing. I am only helping you because they must face the inevitable. All nations rise and fall. Whether they can survive your plan or not is none of my concern. In the end, we all become dust."

_Karakura Town, Five Years Before_

Orihime sat at her desk. She was drawing the boy from her dream again. She tried to get the right shade of green for his eyes, but she just couldn't quite manage it. The door opened and Sora walked in. He smiled as he walked to see what she was drawing.

"Hey, what are you drawing?" he asked.

"Oh this, it's a dream I had."

"May I take a look?"

"Sure," she said and handed the piece of paper over to him.

He looked at it. The picture was of a black-haired with emerald green eyes. However, Orihime had him have a pair of black bat's wings behind him and a long tail. A pair of horns stuck out his head and there was a hole in his chest. Behind him was a large crescent moon.

"Wow, he sure is scary-looking. Is he some kind of monster?"

"He's not a monster," Orihime said and looked at it. "He's just very sad and lonely and lost. He doesn't know who he is."

Sora looked at her as she brightened and looked at him.

"He just needs some friends," she said.

"Speaking of which," he said and handed over an envelope. "Your friend from school, Tatsuki, wanted me to give you this. She was on her way over and I told her that I would deliver it to you for her. I think it's an invitation for her birthday party."

"That's exactly what it is," Orihime said and grinned. "She's having it over at the Kurosaki house since her parents are having work done on their house."

"So, are you going?"

"Of course I am. Oh…but what should I get her?"

"She kinda gave me a hint about that. So, I went and got you her gift," he said and showed her the pair of boxing gloves that were draped around his neck.

"That Tatsuki," Orihime said and giggled.

"I'll go wrap them for you."

"Big Brother," Orihime said.

"What is it?"

"Guess who came by earlier today."

"I don't know. Was it Ichigo or Uryu or that big boy Chad?"

"No it was your old Dorm buddy from when you were in the Gotei Academy. Oh…what was his name? Was it Einstein? No, maybe it was Olson. No, that's not it either."

Sora looked at her. His face went pale and his eyes became wide.

"Was it Aizen?"

"That's it!" Orihime shouted.

"Did he…did he leave a message?"

"He said to meet him in Karakura Park and talk about old times."

"I see."

"Big Brother, is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong. Although, I think that Enraku needs another patching up. How about you see Miss Shinmura about getting him patched-up for you? I think she was baking some cookies."

"Okay," Orihime said and ran off.

_Karakura Park, Five Years Before_

Sora made his way to where he saw Aizen sitting. Aizen looked up and grinned at him.

"What do you want?"

"What makes you think I want anything?"

"It's obvious that you want something. So what is it?"

"Can't I see an old friend of mine?"

"That's bullshit. I know you want something."

"Very well," Aizen said and sighed. "I need for you to get some information that you have. I understand that Captains Urahara and Shihoin were in charge of the actual dynamics of this little operation."

"How do you know that?"

"That doesn't matter. What matters is that I need to know what their route is."

"Why?"

"I need for an ambush to occur."

"WHAT?"

"Don't be so loud, Sora."

"No, I won't do it."

"I see. Are you sure that you want to refuse me? I can make sure that…"

"Don't you dare. Don't you dare bring Orihime into this."

"I would rather not, but if you're going to refuse me…"

"Damn it, Aizen. I thought I was done with you."

"You're not. Oh…sure I no longer need you to gain access to the Pinkerton Agency. I already found the perfect replacement. However, you have one more role to play. You get me the information I need and you and Orihime will be free to live your lives without me hanging over it."

"Do I have your word?"

"You have my word. I promise that you and your sister can be together."

"Why did I ever agree to your scheme in the first place? I should have just stayed out."

"You sided with me in order to protect your sister. That's what big brothers do, right? At any rate if you do this little thing for me, then you'll be free to go."

"How do I know that you won't just stab me in the back like you did to so many of the others?"

"You don't."

"What are you trying to accomplish with this?"

"I just need to get some people out of the way. I'm having my agent in the Pinkerton Agency take care of that even as we speak. When the investigation is launched, fingers will point where I want them and at the very least they'll be ousted from the Gotei."

"Who are you targeting this time?"

"The only two Captains who showed any sign of suspicion against me," Aizen said and smiled. "I already told you their names."

"How do you know that I won't talk?"

"Oh…I know what you love the most in this world," Aizen said. "That's the thing about promising to protect someone. The moment you make that promise, you've already failed."

Sora's eyes went wide in horror. Aizen only got up and began to walk away. He stopped and he turned to face him.

"If you get me that information and keep your mouth shut, then I'll call it off. You have 48 hours to get it for me. If I don't have what I want by then…" Aizen slid a finger across his neck and Sora nodded to show that he understood. "I'm glad you understand."

Sora watched as Aizen walked away. He clenched his hands into fists and shut his eyes.

"Damn you, Aizen," he whispered. But in the depths of his mind he blaming the only person he truly had to blame. _Damn you, Sora._

_Inoue Residence, Five Years Before_

Sora felt tired. Even though he knew what was coming, he still volunteered to go on the mission. He knew that it was the only way he had to throw a wrench into Aizen's plans. He couldn't tell anyone since he knew that Aizen's allies were watching him to make sure he didn't talk or try to communicate with any of the Captains. When he heard that he would be in the forefront party with Captain Abarai while Lieutenant Sade of Squad 11 would bring up the reserves, he just wanted to sigh in relief. If he succeeded, then he could save a lot of lives and prevent Aizen's plans from coming to fruition.

He opened the door and saw Orihime lying on the sofa. She was holding Enraku and she was crying. He stopped and looked at her in surprise.

"Orihime, is something wrong?"

"Go away," she said.

"Did something happen at Tatsuki's party?"

"GO AWAY!"

"Orihime, I don't know what's going on."

"Is it true? Are you going away?"

_How did she find out?_

"What makes you say that?"

"Renji's dad is going away and he mentioned that you volunteered to go."

_Damn, I forgot that Ichigo and Renji are friends and they're dads were probably talking about it._

"It's true. Look, I got you something to make up for it. Do you remember those hairpins you were talking about? Well, I got them," he said and held out the long thin box.

Orihime took it and opened it. Lying on the soft cushion were two hairpins decorated with two flowers with six petals that seemed to shine like blue sapphires. She looked at them and bit her lip and then threw them across the room where they landed on the carpet.

"I DON'T WANT THEM!" she yelled. "I want you to stay. You promised that you would not leave me."

"Orihime, I…"

"YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE ME LIKE MOMMY AND DADDY! YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE ME ALL ALONE!"

"Why would you say that?"

"Just…go," she said.

"Orihime…did someone say something to you? Did someone…?" Then he remembered the incident a few years before. He knew that something was wrong and now he knew that he made a mistake in not trying to get it out of her sooner. "Did someone tell you about our parents?"

He could see Orihime trembling now. He knew that she was clutching Enraku even closer to her. He sighed and he walked towards her.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I should have told you the truth about them, but I…I didn't want you think about sad stuff," he said and stroked her hair. "I thought I was protecting you, but I only ended up hurting you even more."

"JUST GO!" she yelled. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!"

Sora felt tears coming to his eyes and he stood up. He walked towards the door and looked back.

"I don't hate you," Sora said and sighed. "Orihime, you'll always be my Little Princess," he said and walked out.

_Precipice Mountains, Five Years Before_

Ulquiorra rode on ahead. The line of 45 men stretched out behind him. He knew that Rudobon and the Exequias Army were somewhere up ahead. He looked around and he saw movement. They were getting closer to the site. Ulquiorra stroked his horse's mane in the signal that Aizen gave him to show the Exequias that he was not to be killed.

"Steady, Murciélago," he said.

It didn't really matter to him whether he lived or died today. He only cared about one thing. He wanted to kill Lieutenant Sade. He lied to Aizen about not wishing anything. There was only one bit of passion left in him and that was to make sure that Lieutenant Sade ended the day feeding the vultures. After that, nothing would really matter.

"Tracker, do you see anything?" Captain Abarai asked.

"No sir," Ulquiorra said. "However, we are coming to a very rocky part of the canyon. It is possible that the Exequias Army is using that part as a base. I will ride on ahead."

"Alright, you go on ahead with two men while I stay here with the others."

"It would be best if I went on alone," Ulquiorra said. "Your men are not Trackers."

Captain Abarai nodded in agreement. Ulquiorra nodded and he had Murciélago to move forward. Above them, the Exequias were getting ready to launch their attack. Ulquiorra continued to ride down to the canyon until he reached the area where Rudobon told him to meet him.

"Ah, so you must be the Tracker that I was informed about," Rudobon said.

"I am. Shadow Lurker sends his regard."

"Shadow Lurker," Rudobon said and spat to the side. "If I ever meet him, I'll cut off his head for this. I prefer honorable battles; not ambushes."

"Yet you are here," Ulquiorra said. "I have information that says that the Quincy Squad will be moving south to Dagger Creek."

"I see. Alejo, make sure that Skullak gets this information and a battle plan is drawn up."

"Yes, El General," Alejo said and moved off.

"This will more than make up for this…this ambush. I have always wished to battle the Quincy Squad and now I shall have my chance."

Suddenly, the canyon was filled with the sounds of gunfire and shouts. Horses screamed in pain or ran off to escape the rain of bullets. Rudobon grimaced at the sound and closed his eyes. He began to murmur under his breath.

"Are you praying for success?" Ulquiorra asked.

"No, I'm praying that their souls forgive us for taking their lives in such a manner. I would rather have them die in an honorable battle. It's funny, but there was a time when this sort of thing would not have bothered me."

"I must be leaving. There is something that I must take care of," Ulquiorra said as he rode back.

Ulquiorra did not let the bullets around him stop him. Instead he kept on riding. He knew that Lieutenant Sade would be coming up sometime soon. He rode until he was out of the canyon and saw Lieutenant Sade riding up. His men were behind him.

"Is everything alright?" Lieutenant Sade asked and then he froze when he saw Ulquiorra. "You…you're that fucking traitor's brat."

"That is correct," Ulquiorra said and drew the revolver that he used to shoot his mother and father with so long ago. "And you are the one who made me kill the father I never knew," he said and pulled the trigger. Lieutenant Sade fell to the ground, a smoking bullet hole in his forehead. Ulquiorra turned and faced them. "I AM ULQUIORRA 'NIGHT BRINGER' SCHIFFER," he yelled. "If you do not wish to die then go back and tell Fort Seireitei that I am responsible for the deaths of the advance team and this creature. However, if you wish to shoot me down…then you will die here and now."

The others looked at him in terror. Ulquiorra knew that he was taking a chance, but he had to make sure that they found out about the betrayal after the Quincy Squad was slaughtered at Dagger Creek. If that meant taking the burden of 46 lives on his shoulders, then so be it. Aizen made it very clear that the information about the joint attack on the Hueco Mundo Wastes being leaked was only to be noticed after the Quincy Squad was left out.

He watched as the Gotei soldiers turned their horses around and scatter. They were without a commanding officer and he told them that he just killed 45 men by himself. He shook his head at how naïve they could be. He heard hooves behind him. He turned and fired a single shot into the figure that was coming out of the canyon. The figure fell to the ground and began to moan. Ulquiorra dismounted and walked towards the soldier.

"O-O-Orihime," he moaned.

"I am Ulquiorra 'Night Bringer' Schiffer. What is your name?"

"S-S-Sora," he moaned and then their eyes met.

Sora Inoue recognized him as the boy in Orihime's drawings. He reached up and touched Ulquiorra's face.

"So…so sad…so…lonely…so lost," he whispered.

Ulquiorra backed away. He had heard the girl in his dreams mutter those same words. He began to wonder if it was possible for this man to know about her. However, none of that really mattered anymore. Nothing mattered anymore except to bring Aizen success. Aizen was the only one who understood what true pain was.

"Please…watch after…my…Little Princess," Sora whispered and took out a small silver case with the Gotei crest of two crossed guns in a diamond engraved on it. He fumbled at the latch and held the Heart Box to Ulquiorra when he got it opened.

Ulquiorra backed away slightly when he saw the picture of the orange-haired girl he had dreamed about for so long staring out and smiling.

"Tell her…I'm sorry…for failing," he whispered.

"Why should I care for her?" Ulquiorra said. "All capacity for such meaningless emotions is gone from me."

Sora shook his head. Ulquiorra couldn't stand it anymore. He took out the knife from its sheath and plunged it into Sora's chest.

"ORIHIME!" Sora shouted and then died.

Ulquiorra looked at the Heart Box and grabbed it. He wanted to fling it away from him like a curse, but seeing those brown eyes stare at him and that smile. Ulquiorra looked around. No one was around. It was as though he was in the midst of the void that he always sought and yet that smile and those eyes were searching for him.

"I will not," he moaned. "I will not care. It does not matter. Nothing matters. Nothing matters. Nothing matters. NOTHING MATTERS!" he shouted and flung the Heart Box away from him.

He didn't care where it landed. Nothing mattered anymore. However, a part of him refused to believe that. He got up and went to where the Heart Box landed. He picked it up and tucked it into his coat's pocket. He then sat on the ground and watched as the sun began to set.

He didn't know how long he sat there when he heard the horses coming towards him. He looked up and was not surprised to see Aizen with Gin and Tosen with him. They had come to him in his time. The night was thick around them and the three carried lanterns to light their path, but Ulquiorra did not need any light to see. He was a creature of the night.

"Well done, Ulquiorra," Aizen said.

Ulquiorra looked up and stood. His eyes were now completely cold. He bowed to Aizen.

"I was expecting you. What are your orders?" he asked in his perfectly monotone voice.

"I want you to gather the Espada to me. I am sure that after today, you will also be an Espada. I want to welcome you to my ranks."

"Thank you, Lord Aizen. I shall do as you wish."

_Inoue Residence, Five Years Before_

Orihime sat on the sofa. She looked at the two hairpins that her brother got her. She wondered when he would be back. That way she could apologize to him. She was deep in thought about how she was mad at her brother and actually told him that she hated him when there was a knock at the door. Orihime put the hairpins in her hair in case her brother had lost the key.

"I'm coming," she said and rushed to the door. "Oh Big Brother I'm so…" she said as she opened the door. However, her face fell when she saw Isshin Kurosaki standing at the door. "Mr. Kurosaki…what's…?"

"Orihime…I'm so sorry," Isshin said.

"No…what…no…is it Sora…is it my brother?"

"I…I'm so sorry."

"No…No…That can't be. He…he promised…he promised to…to…no…no…no…no…no…no…NO!" she cried out as Isshin embraced her.

_Las Noches 5 Months Before_

"As you know, Ichigo Kurosaki will become a major factor in my plans," Aizen said as he addressed his Espada.

"What do you want us to do about him?" Aaroniero asked in his raspy voice.

"I say that we kill him," Grimmjow muttered.

"YEAH! I say that we don't waste any more time sitting around and debating," Nnoitora said. "I say that we just strike now."

"That would not work," Harribel said. "Ichigo Kurosaki has too strong a hold in Karakura Town. If we attacked now then he would be prepared."

"What if we took advantage of that?" Zommari asked. "His strength is in his friends as Aizen told us. Perhaps if we were to abduct one of them…"

"It would force Ichigo to come to us," Szayel Aporro said and nodded his head. "I see. That would weaken the authority in Karakura Town quite a bit. After all, the Chief Justices of Central 46 are nothing more than a bunch of fools who don't realize that one of their own is on our side."

"I don't like it," Starrk muttered.

"I don't like it either," Harribel agreed. "If we abducted one of his friends, then we run the risk of our own numbers being reduced. I say that we wait until the Exequias Army has regrouped and we have the Mercenaries with us before we strike."

"No," Baraggan said. "I say that we strike now. We don't need the Exequias Army or the Mercenaries to crush them."

"What do you think, Ulquiorra?" Aizen asked.

"It is the most logical conclusion that we abduct one of his friends," Ulquiorra said and looked at the others. "This way, he will certainly come to us. He will be in the weaker position."

They looked at Aizen who smiled at them. It was his decision to make.

"I agree that we should abduct one of his friends. However, the question remains…which of his friends?"

"You have someone in mind," Ulquiorra said, and they could tell he did not mean it as a question.

"I do. Orihime Inoue is the best target. She only has some slight training in the Gotei Squads, and even then most of it is in healing. She would be the easiest to capture. Also, Ichigo has some brotherly affection to her," he said and looked at Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra did not react. "Ulquiorra, I would like for you, Grimmjow, Yammy, and…Luppi to go."

"Why Luppi?" Grimmjow asked. "He ain't an Espada."

"Are you questioning my authority?" Aizen asked and glared at Grimmjow.

"No sir," Grimmjow said and muttered as he sat down.

"The reason why I want you to take Luppi is so that way he can see first-hand the effects of the drug that he and Aisslinger have been dispensing."

Starrk and Harribel looked at each other and shuddered. Most of the others only looked intrigued. They were also wondering about what the drug that Zommari created could do to help their efforts.

"In that case, I should go as well," Zommari said.

"That will not be necessary," Aizen said. "I need you here to see if you can perfect a version of the drug that can cause people to be made…open to suggestion."

"As you wish, my Lord," Zommari said and bowed.

"Now then, that concludes this meeting. I want Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, Yammy, and Luppi ready to move out by sunset."

_Karakura Town, Five Months Before_

"I got a message from Tatsuki," Ichigo said as he and Orihime walked down the road. "She says that she put in an application for the Karakura branch of the Pinkerton Agency."

"Does that mean she'll come home?"

"It looks like it. Oh, and Keigo and Mizuiro also put in their applications as well."

"Do they know who's going to be heading it?"

"Well, so far they got it narrowed down to two candidates. There's Edward Paulson from the Seireitei branch and then there's Shukuro Tsukishima from the main branch. They'll have their decision made about that fairly soon."

"That's good," she said and then bit her lower lip. She looked at Ichigo. "Ichigo, there's something I've been meaning to tell you," Orihime said.

"What is it?"

"Well, it's just that I…"

At that moment there was gunfire. They stood in horror as they saw three Arrancars ride up. Ichigo recognized two of them at once, but the third, a feminine looking Arrancar with three pink diamond tattoos over one eye was unfamiliar to him.

"ESPADA!" Ichigo shouted. "Orihime, get inside the Sheriff's Office and don't open the door for anyone."

"But…Ichigo," Orihime said.

"JUST DO IT!" Ichigo shouted as he began to shoot.

"HEY GRIMMJOW, THERE SHE IS!" Yammy shouted.

"SHUT UP!" Grimmjow shouted. "HEY KUROSAKI, REMEMBER ME?" he shouted and gestured to the scar running down his chest. "TOO BAD YOU DON'T HAVE ANY GETSUGA TENSHO EXPLOSIVES WITH YA!"

Ichigo took a shot at Grimmjow who only grinned wider.

"ALRIGHT, LET'S DANCE!" Grimmjow shouted.

Inside the Sheriff's Office, Orihime watched in terror as Ichigo was forced to battle Grimmjow. She saw Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Matsumoto, who were stationed at Karakura Town, rush out to help, but were being held down by Luppi and Yammy. She began to wonder if there were any more Arrancars when someone spoke from behind her.

"What is this? I do not see any guards around. It never occurred to them that the attack is only a diversion? It seems as though the Gensei Law Enforcement and the Gotei are more incompetent than I remembered. However, that is fortunate. I do not like to be rushed when I am trying to talk to someone."

Orihime turned and her eyes went wide when she saw the short, pale man behind her. He was dressed completely in black except for a silver bat broach.

"Who…who are you?" she asked.

"I am Ulquiorra Schiffer. Now, come with me, Little Girl," he whispered. Orihime was about to ask him why she should when he continued. "Do not ask me any questions. Do not give me any excuses. 'Yes' is all that I want to hear. If you say anything else, then I will kill. However, I will not kill you. I will kill your friends out there," he said and shifted his eyes to the window. "It would be very easy for me. I have become more than adequate at killing those who Shadow Lurker deems a threat.

"You have no room for discussion or pleas. You have no rights. What you do have is the rope that holds the guillotine's blade above their necks. The only way that you can save them is for you to comply immediately. Understand this, Little Girl, this is not a negotiation. It is an order.

"I will say it only one more time and what happens afterwards is up to you. Come with me…Little Girl."

Outside, Ichigo tried his best to fend off Grimmjow, but Grimmjow seemed to be a lot faster since he last saw him in Inuzuri. He noticed that Toshiro and Rangiku were having troubles with Yammy and Luppi. He saw that Kisuke and Yoruichi were coming onto the scene with Chad and Uryu close behind when he heard a horse behind him. He turned and saw a pure black horse rush from the side of the Sheriff's Office.

"Yammy, Grimmjow, Luppi," the rider, a pale man said. "Let us go. I have what we came for."

Ichigo didn't understand what he was talking about until he saw Orihime tied to the saddle.

"ORIHIME!" Ichigo shouted.

He heard the whiz of a bullet pass him and then embed itself into the wooden column next to him.

"I guess that's it for now," Grimmjow said. "If you want her back then come to Las Noches. I'LL BE WAITING!"

The four Arrancars rode away. Ichigo could only stare after them.

"Ichigo, what happened?" Uryu asked as he and Chad ran up to him.

"Get Rukia and Renji," he said. "They took Orihime and we're going after them."

_Las Noches, Five Months Before_

Orihime could not bring herself to look at Ulquiorra. A part of Ulquiorra felt a twinge of pain at that, but he maintained his composure.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked.

"I am doing this because I was ordered to bring you here. Shadow Lurker has placed you under my care. I trust that I will not be forced to tie you down and force your meals down your throat."

"You won't," Orihime said and she turned to look at him. "I won't try to kill myself if that's what you're thinking."

"Why would ending your life not enter your mind, Little Girl?"

"My name's Orihime," she said. "And it's because…I have faith in my friends. I know they'll come for me."

Ulquiorra looked at her and then at something she clutched in her hand. He held out his own hand.

"What do you have in your hand, Little Girl? Give it to me."

Orihime handed the photo over and Ulquiorra looked at it. A part of him wanted to tear the photo into pieces. It showed her and Sora at his graduation ceremony. Both were smiling.

_"Please…watch after…my Princess"_

He suppressed the memory. He was not going to think about that. He looked at Orihime and handed the photo back to her.

"Why do you keep that with you?"

"So that way I know that my Big Brother is watching out for me."

"A meaningless gesture," Ulquiorra said as he led her into one of the cells. "I will return with your meal soon. If I were you, I would hope that they do not come. They might end up dead."

"They won't," Orihime said.

"Then you are a fool," Ulquiorra said and walked away.

"Well, that was nicely done," Aizen said from the shadows.

"Have you come to see the girl, my Lord?"

"No," Aizen said. "I only came to make sure that she got to her cell safely. Some of the Arrancars are a little bit…jealous."

"Why should they be jealous of her? There is no reason for it."

"I wouldn't be too sure. Make sure that Loly and Menoly don't pay a visit to her. They seemed especially hostile when she arrived," Aizen said and smiled as he walked away.

Back in her cell, Orihime overheard them talking. She knew that she just heard Shadow Lurker, but there was something oddly familiar about his voice. However, she just couldn't quite put her finger on it.

_Outside Las Noches, Four Months Before_

They crept along the dessert until they had a good look of the cliffs. It had been over a week since Orihime had been abducted and now they were where she most likely was. Ichigo hoped that Grimmjow told them the truth about her being in Las Noches, but Uryu's tracking skills showed that the Arrancars did come this way.

"Do you see anything?" Ichigo asked as Rukia looked through the spyglass.

"There are guards up there, but I don't see a way in," she said and sighed. "Ichigo, we may not be able to get in."

"There has to be a way in," Ichigo said.

"Wait," Rukia said as she looked through the spyglass again. "I see something. It looks like…an old abandoned mineshaft."

"Where?" Ichigo asked and Rukia pointed in the direction. Ichigo took the spyglass from her and looked in the direction she pointed. "Well what do you know? We have a way in…I hope."

They crept their way forward.

_Las Noches, Four Months Before_

"I have brought your meal," Ulquiorra said. He set the tray down and slid it under the bars. Orihime sat on the bunk and looked at it. "Are you not going to eat willingly?"

"It's strange," she said and looked at him. "There's something about you that seems so familiar."

"That is impossible," Ulquiorra said. "We never met until I came to fetch you."

"No, it's as though we have met before," Orihime said. "Why do you look so sad?"

"Why should I be sad? I have nothing to lose and therefore I am content."

"No, you're not. Would you please…eat with me?" Orihime asked. "I could use the company."

"I thought you said that your brother was watching out for you."

"I know he is, but…it's just not the same as actual companionship and I don't know when my friends will get here."

"I suppose that it will not hurt if I sat with you and made sure that you eat. However, I would give up hope on your friends. Friends are never as trustworthy as they seem."

"Why would you say that?"

"You would not understand unless you have seen what my eyes have seen," he said as he walked into the cell and picked up the tray and brought it to her. "My eyes have seen people betray other people. My hands have shed blood on any number of times. I have known pain that you would not understand."

"I think I would. Just before my brother left on his…his final mission, I told him that I hated him. I didn't mean it. I was just so angry that he didn't tell me about our parents and I…I…I just lost control. Every day, I just want to see him again and tell him that I'm sorry; that I don't hate him."

"Such a desire is pointless. What use could it do for him when he is dead?"

"No one truly dies," Orihime said. "They live on in the hearts of those they loved. That's why…that 's why I know he's watching out for me," she said and placed a hand over her heart.

"Foolish," Ulquiorra said and stood up. "You people prattle on about the heart and soul as though they are special and concrete things. The heart is nothing more than a muscle that pumps blood to the rest of the body, but what is the soul? If I were to rip open your chest, would I see it there? If I were to crack open your skull, would I see it there? My eyes have never seen a soul. What my eyes cannot see cannot exist."

"You're wrong," Orihime said. "Your eyes cannot see the wind, but you can feel it. Your eyes cannot see gravity, but you can feel your feet touch the ground. In the same way, your eyes cannot see the soul, but a part of you feels it. The soul always yearns to touch others," she said and grabbed his hand.

Ulquiorra looked at her and he jerked his hand away from her.

"I feel none of that. Such things mean nothing."

Orihime watched him. She didn't know why she was becoming attached to him, but something about him cried out to her the way that none of the others did. She knew that he was wearing a mask, and she wanted to remove it from him. However, she knew that for her to do that, she had to remove her own mask.

_The Old Mine, Four Months Before_

They made their way in the dark. Ichigo kept his revolver ready. From somewhere ahead they could hear voices. He gestured for the others to stop and they got their revolvers ready. They saw a group of men coming down the hall. The one in the lead was dressed in fine clothes and wore a silver mask. There was only one Arrancar that they knew about who wore a silver mask and that was Aaroniero Arruruerie.

"What does he want with this?" one of the men asked.

"He wants it to be taken up to Zommari," Aaroniero rasped. "If it works, then it should be ready in another four months or so and then he'll administer it to the target."

"Who's the target, sir?"

"I don't know, but I only hope that it'll give me the chance to repay my debt for this," Aaroniero said and removed his mask.

Ichigo and the others as well as the men near Aaroniero flinched when they saw what was under the mask. Aaroniero's face, which had once been handsome, was now extremely grotesque and ruined as though he had been near a rather large explosion. Ichigo noticed that the torchlight glittered on some of the gold teeth that would have otherwise been hidden by skin. He put the mask back on and gestured for the men to continue.

When the Arrancars were gone, Ichigo and the others sighed.

"Holy shit, did you see that?" Renji asked.

"I did, "Ichigo said. "I was wondering why Aaroniero wore that mask and now we know."

"Never mind that," Rukia said. "We need to find Orihime and get her out."

_Orihime's Cell, Four Months Before_

She heard footsteps approaching. She looked up expecting to see Ulquiorra coming to check up on her. However, she looked at two women. One had her black hair tied into pigtails while the other had shortly-cropped light brown hair.

"Uh…who are you?" Orihime asked.

"Well, look at this Menoly," the woman with the pigtails said and sneered. "It looks like the Princess wants to know who we are."

"Yeah," Menoly said. "I bet she even wants us to kneel before her and call her 'your majesty.'"

"You said it."

"I'm sorry," Orihime said. "I…I didn't intend it to sound so rude."

"Oh shut up, you tramp," he told us all about you. "He told us that your father was in the Gotei and that your mother was a whore. I bet that he wanted you here so that way you could make him…happy. Menoly, did he give you the key?"

"He sure did, Loly," Menoly said and twirled the prison keys from one finger.

"Did…did Ulquiorra…?"

"No, not Ulquiorra, you fucking idiot," Loly said. "He's too faithful a dog to do that, but the Master however…" she smiled. "He wants us to get information from you. That's why we're here. He wants to know what you know about certain Gotei members."

"Why?"

"That's none of your fucking business," Menoly said as she unlocked the door. "The only thing you have to do is answer our questions and we'll be real nice to ya."

"That's right, but…if you don't…"

Orihime backed away, but there was no where she could run. She tried to yell for help, but fear restrained her voice and she could only let out a shallow gasp as Loly and Menoly grabbed her.

_The Tunnels, Four Months Before_

"Damn it," Rukia said as she bumped into another rock. "This is more difficult than it should be."

They had agreed to split up in order to cover more ground. However, she was wondering how the others were holding up. She stopped to catch her breath. Then someone grabbed her from behind. She gasped as a raspy voice spoke into her ear.

"I thought that I saw that we had visitors," Aaroniero said. "It's such a pity that the others are as good as dead."

"Get your fucking hands off me," Rukia said.

"As you wish," Aaroniero rasped and threw her. Rukia struck the wall. She turned and raised her revolver, but she felt a blade dig into her stomach. "However, I can't let you get out alive. Shadow Lurker will honor me for killing one of Ichigo's friends. If he loses any of you, then he'll completely crumble to dust. Then, who can stand against the shadows?"

"Bastard," Rukia said and kicked him in the knee.

Aaroniero went down, howling in pain.

"YOU BITCH!" he roared and slashed out with his dagger. "YOU FUCKING BI—!" he roared, before a gunshot filled the tunnel. Aaroniero spun as the bullet struck his shoulder. He hissed and raced away.

"Damn it," Rukia muttered as she lowered her revolver. She put a hand to her stomach and it came away drenched with blood. "Hold on…Orihime…I'm coming," she whispered. Her vision was becoming blurred and she heard running footsteps coming her way.

"It came from over here."

"Do you think…?"

"I hope not."

_I know those voices,_ she thought. Before her vision faded she smiled as she saw Uryu and Renji race towards her.

_Orihime's Cell, Four Months Before_

"There, not so high-and-might now are you?" Loly asked.

"I would think not," Menoly said and laughed as they stood over Orihime's shivering form. Blood poured out open wounds. Bruises were beginning to form on her face and the exposed skin. Her clothes were badly ripped from the whips and chains they used on her. Menoly turned to Loly. "What do you think? Does he want more questions answered?"

"No, those were all of the questions he wanted answered," Loly said. "However, he said that we could do whatever we wanted with her after we were done," she said and smiled as she went over to the equipment they brought with them. She allowed her fingers to trace over the knives and pliers and whips. "Ah…I know. Let's play a little game," she said in a sing-song voice as she picked up a whip with bits of broken glass tied in the cords and a jar filled with soothing balm. "I'll ask you a question and if you answer it to my satisfaction then I'll put some soothing balm on those wounds. However, if you don't…" she brought the whip crashing down on Orihime's back and she screamed in pain as the glass dug into her body and then were ripped out.

"Loly, maybe we shouldn't play that game," Menoly said.

"Shut up, Menoly," Loly growled. "Or I'll use this on you. Would you like that?"

"Well…no, but… what if Ulquiorra comes?"

"We'll tell him that we're on his orders," Loly said.

"And yet, I do not believe that he would approve of this method," Ulquiorra said.

"U-Ulquiorra…we…we were just finishing," Menoly said.

"Shut up, Menoly," Loly said. "Stop being such a pussy." She turned her attention to Ulquiorra. "He said that we could do whatever we wanted with her and I want to play my little game. He said that it didn't matter if the bitch lived or died."

"Is that so?" Ulquiorra said. "In that case I will have to take charge in this situation. He may not care if she lives or dies, but he put her under my care. As such, I am afraid that I cannot let you kill her. If you would prefer, I would play your game. However, I will be the one asking the questions and you will be the one cowering in the corner."

"Why you…" Loly snarled and yelled as she swung the whip at him.

"How reckless," Ulquiorra said and he swatted the cords away with the side of his hand while the other hand flashed out and grabbed Loly by the throat. "You would dare strike out against an Espada. If you were not mere pieces of trash, then I would deal with you here and now. However, since you are nothing but trash…" he said and flung Loly down the hall where she landed. "You are not worth my time."

"LOLY!" Menoly shouted and raced to her.

"I would advise that you two leave here immediately. Ichigo and his allies are in Las Noches and Shadow Lurker has given us specific orders about them."

"Ichigo…" Orihime whispered and looked up at Ulquiorra. He only looked at her from the corner of his eyes.

"Yes, he has arrived, but two of his friends are badly hurt. Rukia Kuchiki was stabbed in the torso by Aaroniero and Yasutora Sado was shot by Nnoitora. The others have dragged them away from danger, but Ichigo is still on his way. I must go and make sure he finds you."

"Why?"

"That is none of your concern," Ulquiorra said as he walked away. "You are to stay there until he arrives. I salvaged these from your original cell," he said and handed her the two hairpins her brother gave her. "I thought you might want them back."

"Why did you help me? Why did you get these?" she asked and held up the two hairpins.

Ulquiorra turned to look at her. Aizen had told him about Loly and Menoly and that he wasn't to interfere. For Aizen, it didn't matter if Orihime lived or died. What mattered was the end result. However, he couldn't let her die in such a horrific manner.

"I do not know," Ulquiorra said.

_The Tunnels, Four Months Before_

Ichigo ran through the tunnels. His path was marked with torches. He was surprised that he did not see more Arrancars. He began to suspect that it was a trap. He stopped when he came to another fork in the path.

"Which way?" he muttered to himself. He looked down each hall and then on the one to the right he saw a pale man dressed in black looking at him. Brown eyes met green and Ichigo felt a fury rise in him as he recognized him as the one who abducted Orihime. "You," he snarled and raced after him.

Ulquiorra sped down the path and Ichigo followed. He chased Ulquiorra. He knew that there was a chance that he could be lured into a trap, but Ichigo didn't care. He only cared of getting him and beating the shit out of him. He was filled with rage. He saw Ulquiorra run through a wooden door and he followed. He entered the room just as the door on the other side swung shut. He began to run for it when he heard a soft voice.

"Ichigo…"

Ichigo stopped and turned. His eyes went wide when he saw Orihime. Her face was badly bruised and caked with blood. Her clothes were badly torn. She was clutching something in her hands and Ichigo saw that it was the hairpins she always wore.

"Orihime," he whispered as he stepped towards her. He was shocked to see her in such a state. His eyes began to water and his body began to tremble. He took off his coat and wrapped it around her. "What happened to you? What did those monsters do to you?"

"It doesn't matter," she whispered. "What matters is that you're here."

"Did you see which way he went?"

"Who?"

"Ulquiorra, the Espada who took you. Where is he?"

"He…he led you to me," she asked.

"What?"

"He said he would," she said. "But why would he do that?"

"I don't know and I don't care. Look at what they did to you. I need to get you out of here," he said and carried her bridal style.

"Ichigo…there was something I wanted to tell you," Orihime said.

"That doesn't matter."

"It does. Ichigo…I love you."

Ichigo stopped and looked at her. He looked away.

"I…don't know if I can say the same," he whispered.

"Is it Rukia?"

Ichigo only nodded his head.

"I see," Orihime said and looked away as he continued to move forward.

Tears were in her eyes and she knew that Ichigo would never be hers the way she wanted him to be. However, out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw Ulquiorra watching them from the shadows. She tried to look again, but there was nothing there.

_Cliffs, Four Months Before_

Ulquiorra watched as the horses sped off.

"They're gone," Aizen said. "And I see that they retrieved the girl."

"Yes," Ulquiorra said. "And now two more of Ichigo's comrades are unable to fight against you when we launch the attack."

"Then everything's going according to plan. Except for one part…" Aizen said.

"So, what Loly said about you not caring if the girl lived or died was true," Ulquiorra said and looked at him.

"My plan required that she died. If she died and Ichigo found her too late, then he would have removed himself from the board. However, this way will work as well. It may require a little bit of recalculation, but the end result will still be the same."

"So you would have killed her needlessly?"

"Not needlessly," Aizen said and smiled. "I promised an old friend that he could be reunited with his sister and the only way for that to be possible is if she died. Now, gather the others. We must prepare to attack."

_Karakura Town, Four Months Before_

The bullet struck Ulquiorra in the back and he went down. Darkness took him.

_He sat up and found himself surrounded by the dessert and a night sky. The crescent moon shone down on him and he looked around. He was surrounded by shadowy figures that seemed to want to consume him. He tried to get away, but they pounced on him. He screamed in pain and agony as he felt himself being torn limb-from-limb. He saw the man he called "father" before he fled laughing at him. His alcoholic breath seemed to burn him and the blood coming from the bullet wounds seemed to lash out at him._

_"HELL…HELL…HELL…BASTARDS GO TO HELL!"_

_"NO! MOMMY! MOMMY! MOMMY!" he cried out and then the figures were gone._

_He looked around and saw the gun lying nearby. However, there was something else as well. He looked at the glint of silver and he reached for it. It was Sora's Heart Box. He opened it and saw the picture of Orihime staring back at him, smiling._

_"Protect her."_

_He looked up and saw Sora looking down at him, smiling._

_"I can't do it anymore. She's your Little Princess now."_

_"No…how can I? How can I when I killed you?"_

_"Take off the mask," Sora said and he was gone._

_"WHAT MASK? THIS IS WHO I AM!" he shouted._

_"Is it?"_

_He turned and saw that he was in Antonin's cabin. He was rocking in the corner and looked at him._

_"Am I dead?"_

_"What is death?" Antonin asked. "Death is nothing more than a gateway to a brave new world. Have you found your path yet?"_

_"I have," Ulquiorra said and he held up the revolver. "This is my path."_

_"Are you sure? What about that?" he asked and pointed to the Heart Box. "I think that's you're true path. But, what do I know? You need to find it for yourself, but the only way for you to truly see your path is to take off that mask."_

_"What mask?"_

_"The one that your heart grew," someone said from behind him._

_He turned and he felt tears come into his eyes._

_"Mommy?"_

_"Come to Mommy," she said and held her arms out. "Mommy will make it all better."_

_Ulquiorra shuffled his way to her and he fell to his knees._

_"Mommy…I don't understand. What mask are they talking about?"_

_She smiled at him and she led him to a puddle of water. He looked inside and he saw that his face was completely covered by a mask with turquoise markings coming from beneath his eyes. The only part of his face that he could see was his eyes._

_"So sad," his mother said and hugged him. "So lonely. So lost. However, she's waiting for you."_

_"Who?"_

_"She's waiting for you in there," she said and pointed. _

_Ulquiorra looked and saw a forest made of trees that seemed to shimmer like crystal._

_"I'm afraid," he said and wanted to run away from it._

_"I know, but they're all waiting for you in there. All of your friends are waiting for you to come to them. Close your eyes and listen and you will hear them."_

_He did and from somewhere in that forest he heard a wolf howl. Then he heard voices that seemed to lure him. He felt himself move towards them. He wanted to open his eyes and see where he was going._

_"Don't open your eyes," his mother said. "That will only make you afraid. Instead, take off the mask. Then the fear will go away."_

_"How do I do that?"_

_"Open your heart," she said._

_"I don't understand. What is this heart you're talking about?"_

_"Open your heart," she said again and her voice was much fainter._

_He didn't understand. However, he kept his eyes closed and he could hear them calling out his name._

_"Ulquiorra…Ulquiorra…Ulquiorra…" it was faint, but it was growing louder. "Ulquiorra…Ulquiorra…Ulquiorra…" He kept moving forward until….until he was…_

"ULQUIORRA!" Grimmjow yelled as Ulquiorra fell off his horse.

"Is he alright?" Lilynette asked as she came running.

"Where…where am I?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Holy shit man, don't you remember?" Grimmjow asked. "We're at that old cabin we agreed to meet at."

"What…what happened?"

"Aizen turned on us," Grimmjow said.

"Who else…who else is here?"

"Starrk's with Harribel right now," Grimmjow said. "Lilynette, go get someone to take a look at him."

"You got it," Lilynette said and ran off.

"Damn it man, you're losing a lot of blood," Grimmjow said.

Ulquiorra tried to sit up, but his body was too sore. He looked and saw someone running towards him. He saw two blue hairpins glimmering in the sun in her long orange hair and Ulquiorra felt as though he would break.

"HEY! OVER HERE!" Grimmjow shouted and waved at Orihime.

"Oh…Ulquiorra," she said and knelt next to him. "How did he get all the way here like this?"

"I don't know," Grimmjow said, but he was rather impressed that Ulquiorra did make it. "Damn man, you must have some pretty powerful guardian spirits watching over you."

Ulquiorra didn't say anything. Instead, he looked into Orihime's brown eyes and he raised one hand to touch her. He wanted to say so much to her, but he didn't know how to say it. Instead he only said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Little…Princess," he whispered.

Orihime looked at him in surprise and then she looked at Grimmjow.

"Can you get the stretcher that way we can get him to Unohana?"

"Sure thing," Grimmjow said as he got up. He looked at Ulquiorra and sighed. "Hang in there, man," he said and ran.

Ulquiorra reached out and touched Orihime's hair. Orihime looked at him and clasped his hand into her own.

"It's going to be alright," she said.

Ulquiorra only shook his head and before darkness took him he breathed out the words he wanted to say to her for so long.

"I'm…so sorry."

_The Sabaku Dessert, After the Defeat at Karakura Town_

Orihime watched as Starrk leaned over Harribel's sleeping form and kiss her on the forehead. There was a sweetness and gentleness about it that Orihime would have never expected before she truly got to know them over the past couple of days.

"How is he?" Starrk asked as he looked down at Ulquiorra.

"He'll be fine," Orihime said.

"That's good. When he wakes up, let me know. I need to talk with him."

"Oh…sure thing," Orihime said.

"Miss Unohana…"

"Oh, please call me Retsu."

"Alright, Retsu, I want to thank you and Orihime for…for coming and…and helping," Starrk said and he lowered his head. "I'm sorry for what we did."

"It's alright," Unohana said and put a hand on his shoulder. "You followed someone who is heading down on a path of destruction. What matters is that you are no longer heading down that path."

Starrk looked at her and smiled.

"Please, tell Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake everything that we've told you. I'm sure that they'll listen."

"I will. Orihime, I want to make sure the little girl is alright. Could you make sure that everything's fine in here?"

"Sure thing, Captain Unohana," Orihime said.

When Unohana and Starrk left, Orihime sighed and looked at Ulquiorra's sleeping form. She took the piece of cloth and dipped it into the cool water. She couldn't believe that a few weeks ago she had been scared of him. Seeing him like this reminded her of a picture she drew as a little girl. She remembered telling her brother that he wasn't a monster. He was just sad and lonely and lost.

The time she got to know him at Las Noches showed her someone who needed somebody to love him. She looked at Harribel and was envious that she had someone like Starrk to love her. It was the same envy that filled her knowing that Ichigo, the boy she thought she loved, was in love with Rukia. She looked at Ulquiorra and the realization struck her.

"Even then…" she whispered. She took his hand and it felt right to her. She leaned forward. Her lips were about to meet his when she pulled back. "I can't," she whispered as tears began to flow out of her eyes. "I just can't do it."

She looked down at Ulquiorra's sleeping form as tears landed on his pale face. She did her best to wipe away the tears, but it didn't stop their flow.

"What am I doing? You probably don't even understand what this…this feeling is. There were so many things I wanted to tell you and help you experience. I wanted to be there when you felt joy again or anger or sorrow or…or love. But, I can't. I can't because you're not letting me in, and that hurts. I thought that it hurt when Ichigo told me he was in love with Rukia after I told him I loved him, but that was nothing compared to this. It hurts even more because a part of me still loves Ichigo and also because I can't seem to say how I feel about you because you're holding something back.

"I don't know what you're holding back from me. I wish I did. Maybe…maybe that would help you to see that there is nothing to be afraid of with having friends or feeling love. I don't know what caused you to believe that happiness is having nothing since you have nothing to lose. But you know. You're wrong. Happiness is having something that you can lose. Sometimes…sometimes we don't see that until we've lost it.

"And you know what. You can never lose me now. I think I know what I knew as a child. Even though you were a dream a part of our souls wanted to be together and that's why I kept seeing you as a child. Our souls were yearning to touch and comfort each other. Now, we've found each other, but even now I just can't bring myself to do it because you are still lost.

"But I will find you, Ulquiorra," she said and put the damp cloth on his forehead. "I swear that I will find the real you and bring him up from whatever depths you are hiding him. That's what love does, and I…I love you, Ulquiorra."

**End of Chapter 11**

**A.N.: Oh man, this is the longest chapter to date and I must say that it's personally my favorite thus far. I usually find Orihime to be rather annoying, however in those moments when she truly opens up and isn't her usual bubbly self, I feel myself growing fond of her. There are two moments in the anime/manga that really stand out for me. The first is when she bids farewell to her brother Sora who was turned into a Hollow and the other is when she says farewell to Ichigo before going to Hueco Mundo.**

**I really wanted to flush out Sora's part and I found myself surprised when I wrote that he was an original conspirator with Aizen. I didn't see it coming, but as I continued writing, it made more sense. And it also helped me to show just how low Aizen really is. That gives rise to an interesting question. Who is the more manipulative bastard: Aizen or Tsukishima?**

**There were bits where I had to pause from writing because it just got too emotional for me. One of those moments was when Sora said goodbye to her for the last time since I wanted to stay true to the manga on that part since it was a heart-breaking moment for me. Another was when Ulquiorra underwent his final transformation and truly put on the mask of "Nothing Matters". I wanted it to be shocking and also provide Ulquiorra a reason to not open his heart with Orihime and the logical conclusion came that he killed Sora.**

**This chapter really sets up things that will happen between Ulquiorra and Orihime later on. At any rate, the next chapter is really going to be a tough one to write because of what happens towards the end. It's also the event that really caused this story to take on a life of its own and I must say that I'm looking forward to it and dreading it. I must say that it may be just as long or even longer than this chapter so be sure to bring snacks.**

**That's all for now. Thank you for reading and please review.**


	12. Chapter 12: Día de los Muertos

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 12: Día de los Muertos**

_Hanging Dog, The Borderlands, Eight Years Before_

_"Hurry, Renji, or we'll miss it."_

_"I'm coming, Rukia," Renji called back. "Daddy, I'm going with Rukia to see the fireworks."_

_"Alright, Renji," Lieutenant Carson Abarai said. "Just make sure that you stay close. I'll be talking with Captain Ginrei Kuchiki if you need me."_

_"Alright," Renji said. "Hey, wait up Rukia."_

_He ran to her and they ran to one of the surrounding hills, laughing._

_Abarai Residence, Karakura Town_

Renji woke up and looked at the beam of sunlight streaming into his room. He got up and rubbed his head as he made his way to the shower which he had installed two months before. He took off his clothes and reached for the knob to turn on the cold water. He watched as the water came out of the shower head and he sighed before he stepped in and allowed the cold water to hit him like a thousand needles.

It had been two days since Ichigo and Isshin were arrested and he and Rukia were forced to stay low. However that did not stop people from looking at either of them as though they were some slimy insect. And now the Sheriff's Office was under the control of the Pinkerton Agency.

"How did it come to this?" Renji asked himself and pounded a fist against the tiled wall.

_Karakura River_

Rukia sat on the shore. She picked up another stone and tossed it. She watched the ripples as the stone sank beneath the river and sighed. She missed being with Ichigo and Renji and the questioning that the Pinkerton Agents put her through had been extremely harsh and they even asked her about her brother and even if she had any involvement with Kugo Ginjo or Shinji Hirako. She was just glad it was over and didn't care if she was restored as a Deputy.

All that she cared about was trying to find a way to prove that Ichigo and Isshin were not Shadow Lurker and that they must have been the victims of some kind of fraud. However, she knew that most would not listen since they felt safer believing that Ichigo was Shadow Lurker. It was as though they forgot about what happened only four months before when they defended Karakura Town from the Espada.

"Hey, are you Rukia Kuchiki?"

She turned around and saw a group of young men glaring at her. She had been through this before and knew what was coming. She stood up and looked at them.

"Yeah," she said as she remembered the first time this happened to her.

"So…how does it feel knowing that your old boss was a traitor?" another asked.

"Yeah, I bet that you're a traitor too. I bet you sucked his cock while planning ways to overthrow the Gensei Provinces."

"Yeah, I bet she likes Arrancar cock. Well, we should teach her what patriotic Gensei cocks are capable of."

This was not new. She sighed and struck the one who dared to suggest that they rape her in the throat. He collapsed, gagging and his hands were clutching at his throat.

"You…you fucking bitch," the leader said, his eyes were wide.

"Now listen to me, assholes," Rukia said, her rage roaring to the surface. "Four months ago we saved your asses from the Espada and this is how you say thank you when false allegations are made against the one who stood up _against_ the Espada and nearly lost his life? Maybe we should have just stepped aside and let the Espada drag your worthless asses through the street. Maybe we should have just let them burn this whole fucking town to the ground. But you know what…" she said and pushed the leader of the group who was looking at her as if she was insane. "WE DIDN'T! WE SAVED YOUR WORTHLESS ASSES! SO DON'T FUCK WITH ME ASSHOLE OR I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!"

"You…you wouldn't dare," he said, but he wasn't sounding so sure.

"I would. After all, I'm nothing more than a traitor, right? My boss is arrested with his dad so what do I have to lose? Honestly, why do I even bother with idiots like you?" Rukia asked. "You believe what you believe because it brings you comfort and you never give thought of as to whether or not it's true. That's the definition of stupidity."

"Well…uh…" he stuttered, but Rukia just stalked off.

She just wanted to get away from it all. She remembered how frightened she was when the first group of assholes like that cornered her, she had been frightened. She remembered how it was the day when Tsukishima came to arrest Ichigo and Isshin and not quite three hours later she was being harassed by the very citizens who only four months before were cheering for them. It was amazing how much group mentality was the equivalent of a weather vane. It continually shifted depending on what people wanted to believe. For them, it didn't matter what they thought even a day before or what they would be thinking an hour from now. It was all about staying in line like sheep or cattle.

"They're all nothing but cattle," she whispered as she walked through the streets.

All around her people were preparing for Día de los Muertos. She saw the colorful streamers hanging over the streets and the booths being set up. There were fake skeletons hanging from porches and the stuffed men were being made for the bonfire. She ignored the glares that she got or the whispers that rose whenever she passed, but there weren't too many of those today since most people were too focused on the festivities to come instead of making sure to at least hint that she was a traitor or an Arrancar.

She stopped when she reached the Sheriff's Office and looked at it. She saw some of the Pinkerton Agents leaning on the porch and watching a group of children who were beating at a stuffed man with a picture of Ichigo's face that was hanging from a nearby tree. She gritted her teeth at the sight and at the posters that declared "SHADOW LURKER CAPTURED!" with a photo of Ichigo and Isshin on it that were still hanging all over town.

"Fuck them," she whispered. "Fuck them all. Why should I care what happens to them now? We saved them and now they've betrayed us."

_Fort Seireitei_

Aizen walked down the hall to General Yamamoto's office. So far, everything was going according to plan and Tsukishima's maneuvers to remove the Kurosakis from the board were brilliant. He had been worried when he heard that Tsukishima intended to make the Kage no Tanken's involvement known. However, instead of it becoming a hindrance, it became a golden opportunity for Tsukishima to prepare things on his end. Now, things were all set on Tsukishima's end.

"It's time for things to going on my end," Aizen whispered and smiled.

_Fort Zaraki_

Captain Kenpachi tapped a finger on the desk and frowned as he read the report. Ever since that diversion in the Precipice Mountains he had been wondering about the information. So, he sent Maki-Maki and some of the other members out to find out what they could. However, he knew that everyone would be getting ready for the Día de los Muertos celebrations, but what worried him was that he hadn't heard anything from Captain Amagai in Fort Kusajishi in a while.

"Damn it, what's going on?" Kenpachi growled. "Yachiru, get Ikkaku for me."

"Sure thing Kenny," Yachiru said and rushed out of the cabin.

Kenpachi sighed and looked at the files he had. So far they had been told that Rudobon and the Exequias were in the Precipice Mountains, but that proved to be a diversion. When he returned he wanted to see if anything happened and Maki-Maki only told him that they got a telegram from Fort Kusajishi informing him that they were having problems with the telegraph machine and would probably not be able to contact them for at least a week and that had been signed form Lieutenant Kibune.

"Something's not right," Kenpachi snarled as he looked at that message.

At that moment, Ikkaku rushed in with Yachiru firmly attached to his bald head.

"AAAAGH, GET OFF OF ME!" he shouted.

"Yachiru, good work," Kenpachi said. "You can let go of him now."

Yachiru yanked her mouth off of his head with a popping sound like a cork being pulled from a bottle.

"Okay," she said and jumped down.

"Thanks Captain," Ikkaku said. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yeah, I need you and Yumichika to visit Fort Kusajishi. I want to make sure that everything's alright."

"Sir, it will take us a full day to get there."

"I know. I'll be preparing the men to march out in case something went wrong."

"Where are we going?"

"Karakura Town," Kenpachi said and showed Ikkaku the message he got from Captain Kyoraku that morning.

"Wait, this can't be right. Are they saying that Ichigo's Shadow Lurker?"

"Yeah, and that ain't matching with what I know of the kid. Something's going on. I felt it when Aizen was here and I think he's somehow involved."

"Yeah, but…"

"Ikkaku, get Yumichika and get outa here before I throw ya out."

"Yes Captain," Ikkaku said and saluted.

When Ikkaku left, Kenpachi picked up the telegram where Ikkaku left it. Kenpachi was glad that Kyoraku made sure to mention that he didn't feel that the idea of Ichigo being Shadow Lurker was right. Kenpachi knew that if you had to choose whether to go with your head or your gut, you went with your gut. Instincts often times picked up on things that rational thought alone missed. And his gut was telling him to go to Karakura Town.

_Senkaimon Express Holding Cell_

Ichigo sat on the cot and looked over at his dad. His dad however, had his head down and his hands folded. He couldn't be sure, but it looked as if Isshin was a sleep.

"Dad," Ichigo said.

"What is it?" Isshin asked, not raising his head.

"Was what Tsukishima said true? Did you kill the Arrancar that killed Mom?"

Isshin looked up and sighed. He looked away and nodded his head.

"I…went against orders," Isshin said. "I had a buddy who fixed everything for me, or so I thought. Apparently we missed on important detail…the records. Everything else was set. He stopped the train for me halfway between Karakura Town and Fort Seireitei. I snuck on board and killed the 'Big Fish' whose name was Fisher Grand."

"Why? Why would you do that?" Ichigo asked.

"It was because I wanted to make him pay. An investigation was launched but it wasn't very thorough. Fisher Grand was nobody when compared to the problems we were facing from the Exequias Army and Aaroniero had robbed a train outside of Junrinan that was carrying medical supplies to Kagamino. Those things took priority. That was one reason why I took matters into my own hand. I knew that if the Gotei got Fisher Grand, then he would just be sitting in prison for a long time before being brought before a court.

"I just felt that each day he was alive was another day that Masaki couldn't rest in peace. So, I made sure he didn't spend another day alive. You must think I'm horrible for doing that."

"No," Ichigo said. "I would have done the same thing."

"Ichigo…if you really feel that way then I'm glad I did it. That way you wouldn't have to bear the burden. I never really felt relief from it. I only felt shame."

"WHY? He was an Arrancar. He killed Mom. Why should you feel shame?"

"It's because it wasn't justice. It was only revenge and I felt an urge to just go on a rampage and kill every Arrancar I came across. Then…I realized something. After I killed Fisher Grand and began plotting how I was going to go on my li'l rampage, I realized that none of it would bring Masaki back. When I realized that, I began to realize that I never thought of who would take care of you or your sisters. Masaki would not want me to live a life of hatred and bitterness. She would have wanted me to take care of you guys and raise you right."

Ichigo looked at his dad and their eyes met. He could see that Isshin was able to let go, but he had never been able to. He remembered how he struck Lilynette and a pang of guilt and shame rose at that memory.

_"For God's sake, Ichigo, she's about your sister's age. What do you think Yuzu or Karin would think if they saw you like this?"_ Rukia had asked him.

"They wouldn't think much of me," Ichigo whispered. "But still…they deserve to pay for making Yuzu and Karin cry."

"Ichigo…it wasn't the Arrancars who made your sisters cry. It was Fisher Grand who killed Masaki," Isshin said. "I made the mistake of falling into the 'Us vs. Them' mentality that has plagued both the Provinces and the Wastes. I realized that mentality can only bring suffering and harm. If you want to know who to blame, we can start by looking in a mirror."

"That's bullshit, Dad," Ichigo said. "The Arrancars butcher us and we fight to protect ourselves."

"Do we? I'm not so sure who started the whole cycle, but one thing's for sure. Both sides are at fault for the suffering. Neither side is truly good or evil. Good and evil are nothing more than two sides of the same coin," Isshin said. "That's what I've come to believe. It doesn't matter what side you're on. What matters is who you are as a person. One day you may be my enemy, but the next we could be sharing a beer and looking at photos of our families. It's when we forget that simple truth that we truly become 'evil'."

"So, you're also siding with the Arrancars," Ichigo said.

"Even now…" Isshin said as he shook his head. "Even now you refuse to believe what Starrk told you."

"How did you…?"

"Rukia told me. Ichigo, if there's one thing I regret is that I didn't see just how much your heart has hardened. Your heart is so hard that you refuse to see what's before your eyes. You willingly blinded yourself and I'm wondering what it's going to take to open them again."

_Inoue Residence_

"I'm back," Orihime said as she opened the door.

"Hey, welcome back," Lilynette said and rushed to help carry in the bags.

Ulquiorra got up from the chair and only stood.

"Is there anything new developing?" he asked.

"Only that the celebrations for Día de los Muertos are beginning," Orihime said and reached into her bag. "I got something for you, Lilynette," she said and held out the chocolate slab for her.

"Thanks," Lilynette said, her eyes glowed with delight.

"Where are the others?" Orihime asked.

"Starrk's taking a nap," Lilynette said. "I'll go wake him up."

"No need," Starrk said as he stepped out of the guest room and yawned.

"Welcome back," Harribel said as she left the room after Starrk. "I'll get Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun."

"There's no need," Orihime said. "There's no new development."

"So, Ichigo's still off the board," Starrk said and sighed. "If only he listened."

"I'm sorry," Orihime said. "I thought he would. He was always so open before."

"It's not your fault," Harribel said. "He never showed you that side of him that we saw. Nobody can ever really know a person."

"Yeah," Orihime said and sighed. "I never thought that he was capable of…of hurting a child," she said and looked to where Lilynette was eating her chocolate. "I guess I didn't know him as well as I thought."

"That is because it is an impossibility to truly know a person," Ulquiorra said and he looked out the window.

Orihime found herself wondering what he was holding back. Over the past two days, she tried to get to know him, but he always dodged anything that got close to something he wanted to keep hidden. She wanted to know what was behind the mask that he put up.

_Sabaku Dessert_

"I suppose I should wish you a happy Día de los Muertos," Ggio said. Sui-Feng turned and looked at him as he rode beside her. "I've always been wondering about something. What exactly do you celebrate on Día de los Muertos? Do you celebrate the victory that the Gensei Provinces had at the Garganta Pass that pushed us back to the wastes? Do you celebrate those murderers who nearly wiped out the Arrancars? What is it?"

"We celebrate those who came before," Sui-Feng said. "It's to celebrate those who died to protect the average citizen from bandits and outlaws."

"In other words…you celebrate murderers," Ggio said.

"Don't you also celebrate murderers?"

"We call them 'Revolutionaries'."

"And we call them 'Murderers'."

"Then I guess we're even on that level. However, this Día de los Muertos will be the day when the Arrancars emerge victorious."

"I suppose we'll see," Sui-Feng said.

"You're still defiant? I must admit that I kinda like that side about you."

"Are you saying that you like me?"

"Uh…well…uh…oh look, Avirama and Cuuhlhourne are coming back from patrol," Ggio said and pointed.

"You're dodging," Sui-Feng said.

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are," Sui-Feng said and smiled as Ggio's face turned bright red.

"Well…uh…alright…I admit it, I was dodging," Ggio said. "I'm sorry. I'm just not good at this kinda thing."

"I highly doubt it would work," Sui-Feng said. "I'm a member of the Gotei and you're an Arrancar."

"I know, but…a part of me just won't accept it."

"If you really feel that way, then help me," Sui-Feng said.

"Are you asking me to betray Lord Baraggan? I…I can't," Ggio said and he turned away from her.

"Why not?"

"It's because I owe him for saving my life," Ggio said.

_Fort Seireitei, Five Years Before_

_"Rukia," Renji called out._

_"Oh…hey Renji," Rukia said smiling as she turned toward him. "Hey Ichigo, you go on ahead and we'll join you."_

_"Sure thing," Ichigo said and he began to whistle as he walked._

_"You didn't have to do that," Renji said. "I mean, Ichigo's my friend too."_

_"I know, but I needed to talk to you…in private."_

_"Uh oh…did I do something wrong?"_

_"No, it's just that I…. Look Renji, I know that we've been friends for a long time and when I was younger I…"_

_"Rukia," Renji said, his heart started pounding so hard that he thought it would burst out of his chest._

_"Renji, I…I think I'm in love with Ichigo. I hope you can keep this a secret."_

_"Of course," Renji said smiling. But he felt as though his heart would shatter to countless tiny pieces. "I guess you're afraid that he'll turn ya down."_

_"That's right," Rukia said and let out a slight giggle. "I guess you understand what it's like."_

I do, Rukia,_ he thought._

_"Well, come on, we better get going. We don't want to be late for dinner."_

_"Yeah," Renji said._

_They were walking down the hall when they saw one of the Captains approaching them. Renji and Rukia stopped and saluted Captain Kyoraku._

_"Captain Kyoraku, sir," they said._

_Kyoraku looked up and frowned. He looked at the telegram and then looked at Renji._

_"Rukia, you go on ahead. I…I need to talk to Renji."_

_"We've been friends for years," Rukia said. "Why shouldn't I hear what you have to say?"_

_"Rukia, it's alright. Go on ahead and let Ichigo know that I'll be a while."_

_"Fine," Rukia said and stalked off._

_"What is it?" Renji asked._

_"I'm afraid I have some bad news. Your father…he was killed while on a mission."_

_Karakura Town_

Renji opened his eyes. He watched as a group of families made their way to the carnival that was set up in the fields outside of town.

_Why was I thinking about that day? There was nothing good about that day,_ he thought.

He got up and just started walking. He could hear the sound of laughter and the bands playing. The sound of poppers and bottle rockets filled the air. He could see the smoke from the explosions in the air and sighed.

"Well, I thought I would find ya here."

He turned and saw Captain Kyoraku walking up towards him. He lifted his Panama hat up from over his eyes and looked at Renji. He was not surprised to see Lieutenant Nanao Ise walking besides him.

"Captain Kyoraku," Renji said and saluted, "Lieutenant Ise, what…what are you doing here?"

"We were looking for you," Nanao said and straightened her glasses. "We wanted to make sure that things were fine with you and Rukia."

"Also," Kyoraku said and looked around. "I talked it over with Captains Ukitake and Unohana and they're in agreement."

"What do you mean?" Renji asked.

"We agreed that in order for us to deal with what's to come then we need Ichigo and Isshin to help us."

"But…they're locked up. They're going to be put on the next Senkaimon to Fort Seireitei."

"Well, they'll be loaded on boarded tonight, but the train won't leave until tomorrow. What do you say about breaking them out?"

"Won't you guys be helping?"

"We can't," Nanao said. "We have to oversee the celebrations tonight. However, you and Rukia don't have to do that. You're free to do whatever you want and if you decide to go down to the train station and break the prisoners out…"

Renji smiled. They were saying that nobody would be on duty tonight at the train station and so Ichigo and Isshin could be freed.

"What about Kugo and Shinji?" he asked.

"We already talked with the members of the Visored and Xcution Squads," Kyoraku said. "They're going to break them out tonight as well from the Pinkerton Offices. As soon as you can, head out to the old Sergio Leone Ranch. You can stay low there until the time comes."

"Alright, I'm in," Renji said. "Ichigo's my friend and I know there's no way he can be Shadow Lurker."

"Excellent," Kyoraku said. "Although, after this, we may all be fugitives. I hope you understand the risk."

"I do," Renji said. "But I'm going to do what's right in this situation and what's right is getting Ichigo out."

They did not notice the person watching them from the shadows of a nearby cluster of trees. As Renji and Kyoraku and Nanao went their separate ways, the figure stepped out and smiled. He made sure that his hat hid as much of his badly scarred face as he could.

"Master Zommari will love this," Dorian Semental, the former "Stallion of Hueco Mundo", said.

_Inoue Residence_

Ulquiorra sat in the arm chair and looked at the picture in the silver Heart Box that he kept with him. He still had dreams about Sora telling him to watch out for his sister. He knew that he should tell her, but he was afraid. He was afraid that she would hate him for killing her brother. He allowed his fingers to run over the picture of the smiling girl and sighed.

"Whatcha got there?"

His eyes flew wide and he saw Lilynette looking at him.

"It is nothing," Ulquiorra said. He was about to put the Heart Box into the inner pocket of his jacket, but Lilynette grabbed it. She looked at the symbol and looked at Ulquiorra in surprise.

"This has the mark of the Gotei on it," she whispered. She opened it and looked in surprise at the picture inside. "Ulquiorra…what…how…this doesn't belong to you does it?"

"No," Ulquiorra said. "Please, do not tell Orihime about this."

"But…why not?"

"It belonged to her brother," he said and fell silent.

"But where did you get it? Did he give it to you? Did you serve with him? If that's the case then Orihime will want to hear it."

"NO!" Ulquiorra cried out and grabbed the Heart Box away from her. "You…mustn't…tell her."

"You still haven't answered my question. Why not?"

"It's…complicated," Ulquiorra said and looked defeated. "I don't…I don't want her to…to hate me."

"Why would she hate you?"

Before Ulquiorra could answer there was a knock on the door. They looked at each other and saw Orihime rushing in. Her eyes were wide in surprise.

"What is the problem?" Ulquiorra asked, regaining his usual monotone.

"I forgot," Orihime gasped. "It's…it's Tatsuki. She always comes to visit me."

"Is she a friend of yours?" Starrk asked from behind her.

"She is, but she's…she's in the Pinkerton Agency."

_Fort Seireitei_

"This sucks," Cirucci said from her cell. She looked over to where Dordoni was tossing a pebble he found on the ground up into the air and catching it. In the cell across from her, Gantenbainne was singing an old Gospel song. She was glad that they stuck together through so much. For her the two men with her were like brothers, but sometimes she dreamed that the one whom she truly belonged with was out there. Of course, for her those were just wishful thinking and she highly doubted that "Mr. Right" was out there. "I'm so bored," she sighed and crashed backwards onto the cot.

"Well, don't you look comfortable?"

Cirucci straightened and saw Mordred Plateado leaning against the bars and looking at her. She scowled at him.

"What do ya want?"

"Oh…I just came to see how you three are holding up.

"We're doing just fine," Gantenbainne said. "So…what's Aizen up to?"

"Yeah, when do we strike," Dordoni asked.

"Well…I would really like to tell ya, but I need…something in return," he said and looked at Cirucci.

"Fuck you, pervert. I ain't showing you my panties."

"Aw, and you want to know what Aizen's up to. But you're not willing to pay the price."

"That's enough, Mordred," Arturo said as he walked down the hall.

"Sorry, bro," Mordred said. "I was only playing with 'em."

"Honestly, you really need to learn self-control. This is not the time to be playing jokes," Arturo said and sighed.

"Whatever you say," Mordred said.

"Anyways, it's going to happen tonight during the Gotei march," Arturo said. "We'll send someone down to free you and the other prisoners. Your job will be to secure the Senkaimon station."

"What's Aizen doing right now?" Dordoni asked.

"He's getting the word out of course," Mordred said.

"That's right," Arturo said. "Tonight, we'll get our revenge against the Gotei."

_Sabaku Dessert_

Grimmjow looked over at Shawlong and nodded. Shawlong nodded back to show he understood and rode to deliver the message to the other Panteras. Grimmjow sighed and rode up to where Baraggan led the army of marching Arrancars. He took a look at Ggio and the prisoner and smirked.

_Looks like Ggio got himself a li'l crush,_ he thought. He shook his head until he was riding just behind Baraggan.

"What do you want, Grimmjow?" Baraggan asked.

"Sir, I'm going to patrol our rear and make sure no one is following us."

"Very well, but Aizen wants to make sure that all of the Espada are here. Cuuhlhourne, go with him."

"Yes, Lord Baraggan, I, the lovely charming solicitous courteous delightfully funny Charlotte Cuuhlhourne shall do as you command."

"Uh…there's no need," Grimmjow said.

"Is there a problem?" Baraggan asked.

"It's just that I can take care of myself. There's really no danger to me. If we are being followed, then I can easily take care of it."

Baraggan looked at him and sighed.

"Very well," Baraggan said. "Go on your little patrol."

"Thank you, sir," Grimmjow said and saluted.

As Grimmjow rode away, Baraggan turned to Cuuhlhourne who was pouting.

"Follow him. He's up to something."

"Yes, Lord Baraggan," Cuuhlhourne said and clapped his hands in glee.

Further back, Aisslinger watched as Grimmjow rode past. He remembered his contract with Luppi and so he went to where Luppi was eating.

"What is it?" Luppi asked.

"Grimmjow rode past," Aisslinger said. "He's heading the same direction he did the last time he went out."

Luppi looked at Aisslinger and smiled.

"Is he now? That's very interesting."

"Whatever," Aisslinger said as he walked away.

_I knew you were up to something, _Luppi thought. _Now it's time to find out what it is._

_Inoue Residence_

Tatsuki stood at the front door and was about to knock again when Orihime opened the door.

"Oh…Tatsuki, I'm sorry. I was taking a nap."

"I didn't mean to wake you," Tatsuki said. "May I come in?"

"Uh…sure," Orihime said and laughed. "I'm sorry but the place is kinda cluttered."

Tatsuki shook her head and one corner of her mouth lifted up as she looked at the entryway. She knew full well that Orihime kept a nice clean place unlike Keigo whose place always looked as though a tornado ran through it. But it wasn't as clean and tidy is Mizuiro's place the times she went there.

"So, how have you been?" Orihime asked.

"I've been…handling things," she said. "What about you?"

"Oh…things are…are alright."

_She's lying,_ Tatsuki thought. _Shit, she must have been really shocked to hear about Ichigo. And I'm responsible._

Tatsuki shook her head. She had only been doing her job. So why did she feel as though she made a mistake telling Tsukishima about the Heart Box. Ever since that day, she wondered why she did what she did. She could have just stayed quiet and Ichigo would still be Sheriff.

_You did it in hopes that it was all a mistake,_ she thought. _You hoped that Ichigo wasn't responsible for the deaths in the Rotunda._

But when she saw Mizuiro carrying those blood-stained boots one word crawled through her mind and seemed to push everything else out of the way: GUILTY. The evidence was there and it all pointed to Ichigo and Isshin. But after thinking about it, something didn't add up. That feeling of uneasiness grew when they arrested Shinji Hirako and he confirmed Ichigo's story about being unconscious in an alley during the period of time that Central 46 was being slaughtered. However, they just dismissed it and that was something that you never did. You never dismissed something just because it didn't add up with the evidence. Instead, you pursued it because sometimes the evidence lied.

"Tatsuki, are you alright?" Orihime asked.

"Orihime, I think I made a mistake. I…I'm sorry, but I was the one who brought the evidence to Tsukishima. I'm responsible for Ichigo's arrest."

Orihime looked at her and put her hand over her mouth. Her eyes were wide and she shook her head.

"You…you were the one?"

"Yes, but I swear I only did it because I hoped that it was all a mistake. But…but when I saw those boots…"

"Tatsuki," Orihime said and put a hand on her shoulder. "You only did what you thought was right. I can't hate you for that. But you know that Ichigo would never do any of the things that Shadow Lurker has done."

"I know, but…but when I saw those boots I immediately judged him guilty. I just…I couldn't even stand to be in the same room with him. A part of me just wanted to hit him and spit on him. Why? Why would I want to do those things?"

"Tatsuki," Orihime said and shook her head. She didn't know what to say. However, she had to know before she decided on whether or not to bring the others in on this. She knew that they needed information on the Pinkerton Agency and Tatsuki could tell them what they needed to know. "Tatsuki, I need to know something. Do you think that Ichigo is Shadow Lurker?"

Tatsuki thought about it and then shook her head.

"No," she said. "He can't be Shadow Lurker. There's no way that's possible."

Orihime smiled and hugged Tatsuki.

"I'm glad. Listen to me. You remember the Arrancars who escaped from prison the night before Ichigo was arrested?"

Tatsuki nodded and then her eyes widened.

"Orihime…are you saying that…that…?"

"Tatsuki, they're not bad people. They want to help us and I think it's time that they talked with you. It's alright," she said to a closed door. "I think we can trust her."

Tatsuki stood up and wanted to run. She had heard people talking about that night and how some thought that they saw Orihime helping the Arrancars. She had even beaten up some of the other agents who even hinted at it. Now, she was seeing that those rumors were true. When the door opened Tatsuki wanted to scream, but she remained silent for Orihime's sake.

"I hope you're right," Apacci said as she came entered the sitting area. "Damn, she looks like she's about ready to bolt."

"That's probably because of how ugly your face is," Mila Rose said.

"What was that?" Apacci said through gritted teeth.

"Didn't you hear me?"

"Yeah, I heard ya, bitch."

"Would you please stop bickering," Sung-Sun said as she looked at Tatsuki. "You're causing Orihime's friend some discomfort."

"I'm sorry about them," Harribel said. "I'm sure that you must know everyone here."

Tatsuki nodded.

"Well, that spares us from having to do introductions," Apacci said.

"Indeed," Ulquiorra said. "After all time is short."

"What…what do you want?" Tatsuki asked. She tried to sound tough, but she thought she sounded more like a frightened child who has just come face-to-face with the monster living in their closet.

"That's simple," Starrk said as he sat down at the table. "We need to know some things about the Pinkerton Agency and one person in particular."

"Who is that?" she asked, but she had a pretty good idea of who they must want to know more about.

"Shukuro Tsukishima," Ulquiorra said. "We need to know what type of person he is and who he keeps in contact with."

"Why?"

"We think that he may be working with the _real_ Shadow Lurker," Harribel said.

"What do you mean by, 'the real Shadow Lurker'?" Tatsuki asked.

"Ichigo Kurosaki is not Shadow Lurker," Ulquiorra said. "The real Shadow Lurker is Souske Aizen."

Tatsuki looked at them. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Aizen was a hero in Karakura Town. He helped to fight off the Espada. There was no way that he could be Shadow Lurker. It didn't make any sense. However, what was even worse was the idea that the man she worked for was working for Shadow Lurker. If that was the case, then she had aided the enemy by helping them get rid of a major obstacle. If Tsukishima was a part of it, then he used her.

She tried to process what she had been told and found that it still didn't make sense to her. She wanted to run out of Orihime's apartment. She wanted to get out her revolver and shoot them all. Her head began to feel dizzy with what was going on. However, she looked at Orihime. She sighed and shook her head.

"Alright, let's hear what you have to say," Tatsuki said.

She listened to everything that the Arrancars told her and a feeling of dread came over her.

_Karakura Hotel_

Hanataro made his way carefully with the tray of tea for Captain Unohana. He always felt nervous whenever he had to walk up stairs since he was rather clumsy when it came to steps. He breathed a sigh of relief when he reached the top of the stairs and he made his way to Unohana's room.

"Captain Unohana, I have your tea," he said outside of the door.

Isane opened the door and shook her head.

"You know you didn't have to do that," she said. "The hotel has staff people who do that."

"I know, but…it's just that it's become a habit of mine," Hanataro said.

"It's alright," Unohana said as she appeared in the doorway. "I really appreciate it, Hanataro."

"Thank you, ma'am," Hanataro said and blushed. He carried the tray to the small table next to the loveseat and set it down. "Will Captain Ukitake be joining you as well?"

"Not today," Unohana said as she sat down. "He's talking with Rukia about our little mission for tonight."

"Oh, do you think she'll do it?"

"I know she will," Unohana said and smiled. "We can only hope that we're not too late. Anyways, I received an interesting report from the Squad 4 members stationed throughout the Borderlands. It would appear as though many of the Gotei stationed in the Borderlands are suffering from withdrawal from an unknown substance."

"What do you think it is?" Isane asked.

"I think it might be this drug Brujería that I've been hearing about," Unohana said. "Do we know anything about it?"

"It's addictive," Isane said. "It appears as one use is enough to get you hooked and withdrawal is extremely tough."

Unohana sighed and frowned. She knew that drugs like opium and morphine could be useful to help ease pain, but they could also be addictive. However, they paled in comparison to Brujería. Brujería was not just addictive, but it also acted faster on the body to the point where the body actually believed that it needed it in order to function properly. Ever since it first emerged a couple of years before, she made sure that as much research on the drug was done so that way she would know how to handle a case where it was involved.

"But they still haven't been able to trace it," she said.

"No, we don't know where it came from," Isane said. "However, we know that at least one in every three soldiers in the Gotei stationed in the Borderlands are addicted with the majority being close to the border with the Hueco Mundo Wastes."

"That must be where it's originally from," Hanataro said. "It makes sense. However, we don't know what plants are used to make it."

Unohana nodded. The theory that Brujería originated in the Wastes made a lot of sense. However, as to what it actually made from was a complete mystery.

"Yes," Unohana said as she sipped her tea. "However, there are other matters that require our attention. The Squad 4 Healers have been trained in how to handle such cases and I have complete faith that they will help the poor souls who are going through it to be as comfortable as possible. However, we need to prepare to break those who are unjustly imprisoned to get out. Chad is talking with the remnants of Xcution and will help them break Kugo Ginjo out of prison while Yoruichi is talking with the Visoreds on how to get Shinji out.

"Hanataro, I need for you and Isane to go with Kiyone and Sentaro to the Sergio Leone Ranch and get things set up there. Make sure that you use the field telephones and keep them on dial 4 to reach us here. Can you do that?"

"Yes ma'am," Hanataro said.

"Of course," Isane said.

"Good. I have complete faith in you to get things ready for when they bring Kugo, Shinji, Ichigo, and Isshin there. In the meantime, I must get my dress ready for tonight. I want to make sure tonight is special for Ukitake," she said and smiled as she glanced into her cup of tea.

_Abarai Residence_

Renji looked at the photo that he kept with him. It showed him and Rukia and Ichigo smiling at their graduation ceremony from the Gotei Academy. He smiled at it. He remembered a time when it was just him and Rukia. They had fun playing together as kids, but they never really felt complete until Ichigo came along with his goofy smile and his orange hair. He smiled and put it back into his pocket.

He then picked up the other photo he kept with him which showed his dad in his officer's uniform. Renji remembered how his dad was strict most of the time and rarely smiled. However, there were times when he would come down to one of the empty lots that Renji liked to play at with some of the other kids and would play baseball with them.

He decided as a young child to be like his dad. He wanted to be as strong and courageous as he was and so he entered the Gotei Academy and was surprised to see that Rukia enrolled as well. However, her family may have had something with that.

The Kuchiki family made it a tradition that every member received Gotei training and many at least became Officers while a few became Captains. The family used the profits they made from Chappy's Smiles to make it possible to continue sending each Kuchiki generation to go to the Gotei Academy.

However, those first few months at the Gotei Academy, Renji only saw Rukia for herself. And that was when he realized that loved her. However, when Ichigo entered the Academy, he felt Rukia's attention going more towards him. However, instead of growing apart from them, Renji found himself becoming closer to them. By the time they graduated, they were inseparable. When they came back to Karakura Town, they developed a bond with Uryu and Chad and Orihime who were old friends for Ichigo.

He smiled remembering how their gang of three became a gang of six. He sighed and got up and looked out the window. Below, he saw children running through the streets with sparklers. Adults were dancing in the street. However, his eyes drifted to a group of boys who were surrounding an old dog that looked starving and was missing a foot. He saw one of them reach into a paper bag and take out a lump of raw meat while another brought out a cherry bomb from his pocket. He had seen this kind of thing before. Hell, he even did it once as a kid, but the memory always made him wince. He watched as the kid tucked the cherry bomb into the raw meat with the fuse sticking out. He didn't have to be close to know that the kids were snickering as one brought out a book of matches. When the fuse was lit, the kid tossed the bit of meat toward the dog. The dog limped towards it and sniffed at it. Renji wanted to open the window and warn the dog away from the bit of meat, but he knew it would do no good. When a dog was starving, it would be willing to eat anything to survive and that included a bit of meat with death in it. The dog bent down to eat when the bomb exploded. He watched as the dog's head was reduced to a shower of bone, teeth, blood, brain, and fur.

The kids were laughing and he heard one of them shout, "TOO BAD IT WASN'T AN ARRANCAR!" They laughed as they ran away from the ruined corpse of the dog.

Renji felt a chill run down his spine. He felt himself go numb and his legs became jelly. He began to gasp for breath.

_Oh God,_ he thought. _Is that how they see us? Is that really how they see us?_

_Fort Seireitei_

Aizen walked down the hall. Outside, the celebrations were just getting started. He knew that the alcohol would flow like the Senkaimon River. The sounds of the small fireworks like Poppers and Lady Fingers and Bottle Rockets reminded him so much of gunfire.

He smiled as he made his way to the meeting room where the heads of the various divisions of his forces were waiting for him. He opened the door and looked at the men and women gathered. They all had their own reasons for joining him. Some wanted power. Some wanted to use the situation to get wealthy. Others did it because they really believed they were doing the right thing. Others did it because they felt like outcasts and needed someone who would grab the line to keep them from becoming lost in the endless stormy seas of life. He looked at them and they looked to him.

"I am glad that you could all make it," he said and smiled. "Tonight, we act and we make our dreams come true. Then, we will head to Karakura Town to crush the last of the Old Ways and prepare for our New World."

_Sabaku Dessert_

Grimmjow looked around him until he saw her. He smiled as he made his way to Nel who smiled and rushed towards him. They embraced and their lips met. He ran his hand through her hair and his blue eyes met her hazel eyes and they drowned into each other.

"Nel," he whispered.

"When are we going to act?"

"Tonight," he said. "They won't be guarding the Bala Shooters as well tonight."

"I'll make sure to tell Dondochakka and Pesche," she said. "They're ready to go."

"Good. Listen, Baraggan is going to attack Junrinan in tomorrow and then we'll be heading to the Garganta Pass to meet up with the Exequias Army and Kage no Tanken's forces. The watch is smallest at the moon's zenith, so make sure you're ready to go by then and I'll have my Panteras ready."

"Alright, then we'll…"

"What's going on here?"

Nel and Grimmjow separated and saw Cuuhlhourne riding up towards them.

"Cuuhlhourne, what are you doing here?" Grimmjow asked.

"Lord Baraggan gave me orders to follow you," Cuuhlhourne said.

"Cuuhlhourne," Grimmjow said as he reached for his gun. "Don't tell anyone about this. Please, I don't want to kill you."

"Look, I'm gonna have to tell Lord Baraggan about this. I'm sure he'll understand, but…" he stopped when he saw Nel. His eyes became wide and he pointed at her. "You…you're supposed to be dead."

"What…what did you say?" Grimmjow asked.

"I said that she's supposed to be dead. Aizen gave orders that she be disposed of before she told the Gotei about Brujería and Amor."

Grimmjow looked at Cuuhlhourne and his mouth gaped open. He grabbed Cuuhlhourne by his tight vest and pulled him from his horse. Cuuhlhourne went down with a yell and landed on the ground. He got up and looked at Grimmjow who had his revolver drawn and aimed at Cuuhlhourne.

"Who else…who else was involved?" Grimmjow snarled.

"Grimmjow…you were plotting to betray us, weren't you?" Cuuhlhourne asked and smiled as he slowly reached for his own revolver.

"WHO ELSE WAS INVOLVED?" Grimmjow roared.

"Let's see," Cuuhlhourne said. He knew that making Grimmjow this angry would cause him to miss his hand reaching to draw his revolver. "Lord Baraggan came up with the basic plan and Aaroniero served as errand boy. In the meantime, Szayel Aporro helped with the hardware and Nnoitora did the actual job. What did you think Nel when he just shot you without any warning? I'm curious about how your boyfriend's going to react…WHEN I DO THE SAME THING!" he cried out and drew his revolver.

Nel cried out and Grimmjow reacted out of pure instinct. His finger pulled the trigger and the next thing he knew, Cuuhlhourne was flying backwards. He watched in horror as the back of Cuuhlhourne's head burst in a shower of bone, blood, and brain while a blood flowed out of a perfect circular hole in the center of his forehead.

"Oh…oh shit," Grimmjow whispered. "Oh shit. This is not good."

"Grimm, you need to get back to the main force," Nel said. "You need to get back and tell them…tell them anything."

Grimmjow looked at her and nodded. He knew that he shouldn't just leave Cuuhlhourne like this, but he didn't have much of a choice.

"You shouldn't have followed me," he whispered. "Damn you, Baraggan. His blood is on my hands because you sent him out after me."

"Grimm, never mind that now," Nel said and looked around. "You need to get back. Someone else might have followed you."

"You're right," Grimmjow said. "I'll…I'll tell them that Cuuhlhourne was ambushed by a Gotei patrol and by the time I got here, he was already dead and I couldn't take the time to bury the body in case they came back and realized that something else was going on."

"You do that," Nel said. "Now go. Go before it's too late."

Neither realized that it was too late. Hiding in the midst of a rock cluster, Luppi looked through a looking glass. When he saw Grimmjow shoot Cuuhlhourne, he looked up and he smiled. He always wanted to become more than just a runner for Zommari. He hated the way that the others looked down on him. Now, here was his chance.

"Traitor," he hissed under his breath when he remounted his horse and rode back to report to Baraggan. The whole way back he muttered the same word under his breath: "Traitor." He smiled. If there was one thing an Arrancar loved, it was when someone uncovered a Gotei agent in their midst.

_Inoue Residence_

"Do you think she'll go with it?" Mila Rose asked.

"I hope so," Harribel said. "We need to find something that will help us understand what Aizen's up to."

"Or what this Tsukishima guy's up to," Apacci said. "He may be acting on his own and Aizen doesn't even know it."

"That's always a possibility," Starrk said. "I wouldn't be a bit surprised."

They heard a knock on the door. To the room they were in. They looked at each other and knew that she must have come to a decision. Ulquiorra got up and opened the door. Tatsuki looked at them and sighed.

"I'll help you," she said. "However, I'll need to bring two others on board. I would like it if Lilynette came with me if that's alright. She won't be as intimidating for them as…as the rest of you," she said.

"Lilynette, would you like to do this?"

"Sure," Lilynette said. "Don't worry. I can take care of myself."

"I know you can," Starrk said and smiled. "Who are these two others?"

"They're friends of mine from the Pinkerton Training Center. Their names are Keigo and Mizuiro and they're also friends of Ichigo. If what you told us is true, then that means that we were used in some way and I hate being used against my friends."

"Miss Arisawa, it's good to know that we have someone like you on our side," Harribel said.

"I'm glad to help if it means getting Ichigo and his dad out."

"He has two sisters," Starrk said. "Is anyone watching them?"

"Yeah, I'm having Riruka watching them."

"Is she the one from the Xcution Squad who carries that stuffed pig she names Mr. Pork with her?" Harribel asked.

"That's her," Tatsuki said and laughed. "I guess that means she introduced you to Mr. Pork if you know about that."

"Yeah, she did on the way over here," Starrk said.

"That means she likes ya," Tatsuki said. "Did she tell you that she calls her revolver the 'Love Gun'?"

"Yeah, she did," Apacci sighed. "She's kinda weird."

"You have no idea," Tatsuki said and laughed. "Anyways, I want you to meet us in front of the Pinkerton Offices at 10:00 tonight. Everyone will be busy with the fireworks."

"Sounds like a plan," Starrk said.

_We're not alone anymore,_ he thought. _We won't have to stand alone after all._

_Junrinan_

Szayel Aporro Granz paced in the hotel. He didn't know what was holding things up. He only knew that he was annoyed. He arrived in Junrinan yesterday and they were all informed that Karakura Town was under emergency lockdown for some reason.

"Such incompetence," he muttered. "I bet that a part of the rail came too loose and they just found out about it. They have to make more rail then they have to get workers to wherever it is and replace the track. Damn it and they even closed the Garganta Pass so I can't get a cart and head there myself."

He heard rumors of what was going on. Some were saying that the rail must be in a state of disrepair that they had to close the rail lines. Others were saying about how the Garganta Line being robbed was part of it. Others were even hinting that Karakura Town was destroyed by Shadow Lurker. Rumors and theories were all that they were and Szayel Aporro was becoming annoyed with them.

He decided that he had enough of hiding in the room. He got his coat on and put on his hat and tried to cover as much of his pink hair as he could and he put the sunglasses over his golden eyes. He locked the hotel room behind him and walked to the front door. He glanced over at the proprietor who was sitting behind the desk and reading _Look Homeward, Angel_.

Szayel Aporro stepped outside and took a deep breath of the fresh air. He saw that people were gathered at the booths. Children were either shooting off fireworks or eating candied apples. He saw teens sneaking off in pairs and thought that they were probably off to some secret place for a little rendezvous. He shook his head. It was hard for him to believe that only a few days ago he was nearly made Swiss cheese by a group of assassins who wanted to get back at him for getting away from them.

"Damn it, Ulquiorra," he whispered. "If you hadn't come and visited me, I would be safe at home working on one of my inventions."

He looked up at the bright blue sky above him and sighed. He walked into the street and wondered which way he should go. He looked around and was relieved not to find any Gotei on patrol. However, something hanging on the Sheriff's Office caught his eye and he made his way to see what it was. When he read it, he took a double-step backwards and looked around. He closed his eyes and looked at it.

It was a Wanted Poster, but he had seen many of those before. However, it was what was on it that caught his attention.

**WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE**

"**THE LOS LOBOS DUO"**

COYOTE STARRK AND LILYNETTE GINGERBACK-**CAPTURED/ESCAPED**

**REWARD: **$300,000,000

**CAUTION: **EXTREMELY DANGEROUS

**WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE**

"**BLOOD STAR" AND THE "DIAMOND SISTERS"**

TIA HARRIBEL "BLOOD STAR" AND THE "DIAMOND SISTERS" FRANCESKA MILA ROSE, CYAN SUNG-SUN, EMILOU APACCI-**CAPTURED/ESCAPED**

**REWARD: **$200,000,000

**CAUTION: **EXTREMELY DANGEROUS

**WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE**

"**NIGHT BRINGER"**

ULQUIORRA SCHIFFER-**ON THE LOOSE**

**REWARD: **$150,000,000

**CAUTION: **EXTREMELY DANGEROUS

**IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THE WHEREABOUTS OF THESE OUTLAWS, PLEASE CONTACT SHUKURO TSUKISHIMA AT THE PINKERTON AGENCY OFFICES IN KARAKURA TOWN.**

**CAPTURED!**

"**SHADOW LURKER"**

ISSHIN KUROSAKI AND ICHIGO KUROSAKI

CAPTURED ALIVE BY THE HEROES AT THE PINKERTON AGENCY

TO BE SENT TO FORT SEIREITEI TO STAND TRIAL FOR CRIMES AGAINST THE GENSEI PROVINCES

"Holy shit," Szayel Aporro muttered as he read the bottom. "How did that happen? How did Aizen get people to believe that the Kurosaki brat was Shadow Lurker? Ulquiorra, you have some explaining to do."

That was when he felt a hand fall on his shoulder. Szayel Aporro yelped and turned around and saw that he was facing a giant in a Gotei uniform. The giant smiled as Szayel Aporro's hat slipped slightly and revealed some of his pink hair.

"I thought it was you," he said. "Come with me, Szayel Aporro Granz."

"Wait a minute, who are you talking about? I'm not this Szayel Aporro Granz."

"Yeah right," a woman said as she stepped from behind the giant. "Nice work, Jidanbo, but let's make sure nobody knows who he really is."

"Are you sure we should be doing this, Kukaku?" he asked.

"I'm sure. So tell me, Szayel Aporro. When you just mentioned Ulquiorra's name, I take it that means that you're on Starrk's side."

"Uh…I guess. Look, I'm only doing this because assassins were sent to kill me and I really, _really_ want to live."

"I understand," Kukaku said and looked around. "I wonder how people will react to find out that an Espada is in their midst. Now, we can do this one of two ways. Either you refuse to help me and I cry out your name and feed you to the crowds, or you can agree to help me and I'll keep quiet and you get to live a little longer."

"What do you need?"

"I understand that you're trying to get to Karakura Town, right?"

"Yeah, that's where Ulquiorra told me that Starrk was going. He was going to try to persuade Ichigo to help them, but it doesn't look as though that's going to happen anytime soon," he said and jerked a thumb at the poster.

"No it doesn't," Kukaku said. "However, that doesn't mean that the rest of us can't help out. Jidanbo insists that those Arrancars need as much help as they can get and Captain Kyoraku seems to agree. He gave me a massive order to get to Karakura Town and I don't have any way of transporting it until the trains get running. Fortunately, I have a cart large enough, but not enough hoof power. I could really use the assistance of your two horses. Hell, you can even transport whatever you have with you as well. So…do we have a deal?"

Szayel Aporro looked around him. He could refuse her, but if he did then he would probably be hanging from a tree in less than ten minutes. He looked around and nodded.

"Good boy," Kukaku said. "Now, come with me and we can work over the details."

"Sounds good," Szayel Aporro said and sighed. "Damn you Ulquiorra. What did you get me into?"

_Sabaku Dessert_

Grimmjow rode hard. He had to make it look good and that meant going at a full-out gallop. He knew that Nel would continue to follow him and he hoped that they could take care of those Bala Shooters before Baraggan reached Junrinan.

If he could succeed then he would be able to throw a wrench into Aizen's plans. However, that brought up the question of what Aizen was having Rudobon and the Exequias Army doing or what the Mercenaries were up to. However, he couldn't focus on those things at the moment. He could only focus on what he knew.

He could see the moving line of the Arrancar Army ahead of him. He smiled a little and cried out.

"GOTEI! GOTEI!"

_Fort Kusajishi_

"Shit," Ikkaku muttered when he saw what waited for them at Fort Kusajishi.

The gates were wide open and he saw bodies hanging from the walls. Each of the bodies was stripped naked and the carrion eaters picked some of them clean and others were becoming leathered in the heat. Each body had a sign hanging from around their necks with a single word: TRAITOR. Ikkaku and Yumichika could not understand what it was about, but they saw grave markers that looked to have been made about three days before.

"Ikkaku, what do you think happened?"

"It's obvious that they must have been attacked," Ikkaku said. "Look at this. Some of the graves are only about three days old."

"Who do you think buried them?"

"It's hard to say. What bothers me is that those bodies were labeled as 'Traitors', but why? Whoever did this buried some of the bodies but left others out for the vultures."

"Ikkaku, we need to check on the cannons. Fort Kusajishi was the major depot for cannons in the northern Borderlands."

Ikkaku looked at Yumichika and rushed inside. He did not see any of the cannons in the yard. All that he saw was a skull hanging from one of the hitching posts. Ikkaku knew the sign all too well.

"The Exequias," he whispered.

"What did you say?"

"Yumichika, a hanging skull is the emblem for the Exequias Army," he said and pointed to the skull. "They…they did this."

"We need to tell Captain Zaraki. We need to stop Rudobon from whatever he's up to."

"I know. But I think we might be a little late. The Exequias have a three days head start on us and they move fast. Even if they have cannons with them, they always move fast."

_South Borderlands_

Skullak watched as the Gotei fort in the valley burned. He made sure that the order went out that the women and children were not to be harmed nor were they allowed to plunder any of the towns. They would only take from the Gotei forts and so far the Exequias Army was doing as he ordered.

"Sir, we got a message from Rudobon," one of his officers said.

"What does he say?"

"He says that they just took out a Gotei base outside of Stone River."

"That means that in a couple of days he'll be at the Garganta Pass," Skullak said. "Tell him that we should reach the Garganta Pass at around the same time he does."

"Yes sir," the officer said and rushed off.

Skullak frowned as he watched the burning Gotei fort. He didn't like how easy this was. When he heard that it was because most of the Gotei in the Borderlands were addicted to Brujería and Amor and were going through withdrawal, he felt even more ashamed of each "victory." There was no real victory here. He just hoped that the Gotei in the Gensei Provinces would actually be able to fight.

"What's the point?" he asked. "Why did we agree to do this? There's no honor to be had."

He knew that Rudobon was thinking along the same lines. They were tempted to just turn around and ride back to the Hueco Mundo Wastes, but they accepted Aizen's offer and they were paid. When the Exequias Army took a job, they did whatever it took to complete it. He shook his head at the thought. That meant that they had become little more than Mercenaries.

He sighed and looked ahead and he thought he saw the land covered in grave markers and the rivers running red with blood. He saw sparks flying through the air and becoming raging fires when they touched the ground. Then the vision was gone and he only saw the fire burning from the Gotei fort and the group of refugees making their way to whatever future they had.

_Fort Seireitei_

"Alright then," Aizen said as he rose. "You all know your assignments."

His officers nodded their heads. He smiled at them.

"Then we officially begin Operation End of Hypnosis," he said. "This meeting is adjourned."

_Karakura Town_

Rangiku Matsumoto was glad that she was off duty today. It gave her an opportunity to just enjoy the festivities. She watched as people made their way to the cemetery to pay their respects for the dead. Some of the older people were sitting on the porches and taking it all in. She thought that they must be remembering a time when Día de los Muertos was about the treats and games and fireworks and longing for those days.

She watched as a procession came down the street playing celebratory music. She saw that the men at the head were waving corn stalks around and a group of women behind them were waving bundles of wheat to celebrate the completed harvest. Then behind them came men carrying the stuffed men that would be burned. Behind them, came the Fool Men in their brightly colored clothes displaying their abilities at acrobatics and juggling. She loved watching them and clapped along with the music which was now going into a wild dance.

She thought she knew the song and began to sing.

_Bring in the barley_

_Bring in the corn_

_Bring in the wheat_

_Harvest's done_

_Harvest's in_

_Now dance_

_Dance under the Harvest Moon_

_Harvest Moon grinnin' down_

_Harvest Moon grinnin' down_

_Upon the face of the lass_

_Lying on the grass_

She clapped faster as the song became faster.

_Sow the oats_

_Sow the seed_

_Into that virgin soil_

_Grind and grind_

_Pump and grind_

_To get a rich harvest_

_In nine months' time_

"Rather vulgar don't you think?"

She turned and she gasped as she looked at the silver-haired man next to her who was smiling at her.

"Gin, is that you?" she asked.

"Guilty as charged," Gin Ichimaru said. "It's been a while. How are things in the Gotei?"

"Things are…good," Rangiku said. "I suppose I should ask how things are in the banking business."

"Boring as ever," Gin said and they burst out laughing.

"It's been a while since I last saw you," Rangiku said. "You never wrote. You never wired. You never came to visit. I thought that you died."

"Oh come now, I had my reasons for leaving so soon."

"Like what?"

"Well…business."

"Bastard," she said and hit him in the arm. "I thought that you ran off with some bar maid. When I woke up…you were gone. I thought it was something I did."

"I'm sorry, Rangiku. It's just that I needed to get away from Fort Seireitei. The whole environment was just too…militaristic for my taste."

"Then why didn't you go east? Why did you go west?"

"It's because the west has much more to offer in terms of opportunity than the east. The east is so over-developed that I would probably not get very far trying to start up a bank. At least here, I knew I had a chance."

"That doesn't excuse you for not writing to tell me you were alright."

"I know. I made a mistake and I'm sorry. Do you forgive me?"

Rangiku glared at Gin and then chuckled as she shook her head.

"How can I stay mad at you, Gin?"

"Are you free for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah, Captain Hitsugaya gave me the night off."

"That was nice of him."

"I know. So, yes…I'm free for dinner tonight."

"Then stop by the Hogyoku United Bank building tonight and I'll take you to a really nice restaurant."

"I would love that," Rangiku said and smiled at him.

_Karakura Town, Four Months Before_

_"RUKIA!" Renji shouted._

_The fires surrounded him as he searched for Rukia. The building was getting ready to fall and he had to find her before that happened. He heard struggling coming from one room. He rushed in and saw Zommari jumping out the window. He looked down and saw him limp away and firing at any of the Gotei soldiers who tried to stop him. He turned away and saw Rukia crawling on the floor. She was clutching the small Deringer pistol she kept with her. She coughed and looked up at Renji._

_"Are you alright?"_

_"I'll be fine," she said and got up. "Fucker surprised me."_

_"Damn it, Rukia. Why did you come in here?"_

_"I thought it was that Aaroniero bastard," she said. "Turned out it was only that Zommari guy. Fucker tried to inject me with something," she said and pointed to the hypodermic needle on the floor._

_Renji debated about whether or not to try to reach it, but a falling timber decided it for him as it crashed on the needle. Whatever was in it was nothing good. He heard rumors about how Zommari's specialty was developing drugs that were extremely addictive. However, none of that really mattered at the moment. The main thing was getting Rukia out._

_"Can you walk?"_

_"Damn right I can," Rukia said. "So shut up and let's get the fuck out of here."_

_"Yes ma'am," Renji said and smiled as he followed her out._

_Karakura Hotel _

"Renji, wake up."

Renji opened his eyes and looked at Rukia who was sitting next to him.

"Oh…did I fall asleep?"

"You know you did," Rukia said smiling. "Anyways, sorry about that," she said and turned to Captain Ukitake.

"That's not a problem," Ukitake said and smiled. "I'm sure that you've had a rough couple of days."

"You have no idea," Rukia said and frowned. "Where's my brother at right now?"

"He's questioning the suspects at the Pinkerton Agency," Ukitake said. "He made it clear that under no circumstances are you to try to rescue Ichigo."

"What do you say?" Rukia asked.

"I'm gonna say that he can tell you not to make a rescue attempt, but that's not going to stop you. No matter what I tell you, you're going to try to rescue him."

"Damn right," Rukia said.

"Rukia, do you understand the risks this will bring?"

"I do, and I'm still gonna do it."

"I see. In that case, I'll tell you what you need to know."

"Captain Ukitake," Renji said. "Why would you be willing to do this?"

"You both need a plan. You can't just rush in. You don't know how many will be there and you don't know where to go. However, I know those things," Ukitake said. "I made sure to make inquiries at the Pinkerton Agency."

"Alright, so tell us," Rukia said.

Ukitake sighed and opened the schematics for the Senkaimon Express Station. He searched the pages until he found the one he was looking for. He turned it so that Rukia and Renji could see it.

"This is the Goods Station. It's located about five miles away from the passenger station. That's where they have their main offices and it's also where they keep prisoners before they're shipped to Fort Seireitei. That's where they're keeping them. The agent I talked to mentioned something about five men being on guard duty tonight."

"We can take care of them," Renji said. "We raided Las Noches and got Orihime out without problems."

"You need to keep in mind that these men are Pinkerton agents and they're not exactly going to be friendly if they catch you. They have orders to make sure no one sees the prisoners unless they're sent from the agency with direct orders from Tsukishima. And don't even bother trying. If you came with orders signed by Tsukishima they will turn you away. They have been given direct orders not to allow either of you anywhere near Ichigo."

"Damn it," Renji moaned. "There went my plan."

"Renji, there are other ways of getting close. You can borrow some of the dynamite that they keep there. There's an Explosives Shed," she said and pointed to a small structure on the schematic that was labeled "EXPLOSIVES". "They keep one nearby in case they need to use dynamite for something or if someone's shipping explosives they can use it for storage."

"That's right," Ukitake said. "You can create a diversion that will reduce the number of guards inside the building at the time. However, it will only buy you so much time before they decide to move the prisoners."

"I don't get something," Renji said. "They're keeping Ginjo and Hirako in the Agency Offices, but Ichigo and Isshin are being kept there. Why is that?"

"They're going to be shipped to Fort Seireitei in the morning," Ukitake said. "Before, they were being kept in the Pinkerton Agency Offices, but they were moved late last night. It's not unusual."

"Oh," Renji said and looked at the schematics. "There are a lot of places in here where we can hide. I'm sure there are plenty of boxcars to hide in."

"Yes, but those boxcars can also be used to trap you. So, be careful."

"We will," Rukia said and smiled. "But, we can't make any guarantees."

"Well…just make sure to come back unharmed for your brother's sake," Ukitake said. "He would not forgive himself if anything happened to you."

"I thought you said that he told me not to do this."

"He did, but he also knows that you would still go ahead with it. In fact, he was the one who gave me these schematics. Now, I'll leave you to look over them and come up with a plan."

_Sabaku Dessert_

"I was too late to help him," Grimmjow said. "I'm sorry, Lord Luisenbarn, but Cuuhlhourne is dead."

"I see," Baraggan said and leaned back. "That is distressing news. Did you see which way these Gotei soldiers went?"

"Hey, I rode back here as fast as I could in case they decided to come this way. I ain't a fuckin' psychic. I can't read their minds."

"I suppose you can't," Baraggan said. "Alright, Grimmjow you may leave, but I have one final question for you."

"Oh, and what might that be?"

"How did Cuuhlhourne encounter them while you didn't?"

"What do you mean? He was probably fuckin' ambushed or they were coming from the north or south and they saw him, but not me. I don't know."

"Then you wouldn't mind if I examined your revolver."

"What do you mean?"

"Did you fire at the soldiers?"

"No, I told you that by the time I arrived, they were gone. Cuuhlhourne had his revolver drawn, so he probably got a couple of shots off."

"Then you wouldn't mind me checking your cartridges," Baraggan said and drew his own revolver. "Or are you going to force me, the Lord of the Wastes, to pry it from your cold dead hands?"

Grimmjow looked at the revolver and sighed.

"Fine," he said and drew out his revolver and handed it over.

"Good Kitty," Nirgge said and laughed as he took the revolver and handed it to Baraggan.

"Don't call me 'Kitty'," Grimmjow said.

"Why not? Isn't that what you like Nel to call you?" Nirgge asked.

"Shut up, you idiot," Avirama said and hit Nirgge on the head.

"Hey, where's Poww at or Ggio?" Grimmjow asked.

"Ggio is watching the prisoner," Avirama said and crossed his arms. "Poww is on an assignment to check on something that Luppi told us about."

"Tch…what did Luppi talk to you about? How much Brujería is being wasted or how much money we're losing from clients?"

"Something else," Baraggan said as he opened the cylinder. He dumped the cartridges into his hand and looked at them. "Grimmjow, why is there one that looks as though it's been fired?" he asked and held it up.

"What does that matter? I probably shot it off by accident and didn't even realize it."

"I find that hard to believe," Avirama said. "I mean. You mean to tell me that you fired off a shot and didn't even hear the gun go off? Tell me, can ya hear this?" he asked and clapped his hands to the side of Grimmjow's head close to his ears. Grimmjow flinched and Avirama smiled. "Well, ya ain't deaf."

"Look, I panicked and I…"

"Grimmjow, it won't work," Baraggan said and smiled. "We already know."

"What…what do you mean?"

"Ah, he's back," Baraggan said as they saw Poww's horse ride up to them. "Poww, what did you find?"

"He's dead alright with a gunshot wound to the head. However, his revolver had not been fired."

"I see," Baraggan said and turned to Grimmjow. "Nirgge, tell Ggio to bring the prisoners."

"Yes sir," Nirgge said and glared at Grimmjow. "HEY SHRIMP," he called out. "BRING 'EM OUT."

Grimmjow turned and his went wide. Ggio was not ushering Sui-Feng towards them, but rather his Panteras.

"What is this?" Grimmjow asked and turned to face Baraggan.

"This…is your trial," Baraggan said and grinned. "Luppi, come forward."

"Yes sir," Luppi said as he stepped out from behind a large boulder. Grimmjow turned to look at Baraggan to ask what was going on. However Baraggan raised a hand and he saw Nirgge aiming his revolver at the side of his head.

"Grimmjow, don't try to speak," Baraggan said. "Luppi saw the whole thing. Now tell me, what have you and Nel been planning?"

_Karakura Town_

The sun was beginning to sink behind the horizon. Fires began to be lit and the sounds of the celebrations began to increase. Renji and Rukia made their way through the crowded streets. They were glad that no one was demanding to know where they were going. Instead, they were all focused on the celebrations. They saw that many of them were in costumes for the Masquerade Balls that would be held later that night.

They made their way through the crowds. However, the further they got, the easier it became to travel. Soon they were able to run through the streets.

"Rukia, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Of course I am," Rukia said. "But you can turn back if you want."

"No, I just wanted to make sure."

"What? That I was still willing to do what it took to save the man I love? Renji, what kind of stupid question is that? Wouldn't you be willing to do whatever it took to save someone you loved?"

"Of course I would," Renji said. "I would do anything to save…" he stopped himself and shook his head. "We're committed to this. I'll see it through."

"Good," Rukia said. "Now, come on."

They ran through the darkening streets. Behind them, the sounds of celebrations rose into the air. Soon, the period known as Noche del Incendio, Night of the Fire, would begin. High above, a full moon was began its reign in the sky.

_Hogyoku United Bank_

Gin Ichimaru looked at the photo and sighed before he put it back into the drawer. He looked at himself in the full-length mirror on the inside door of the wardrobe. He made sure that everything was in place. He reached for the phone and debated as whether or not to call Tsukishima to let him know to begin the next phase without him. He knew that he should, but he decided that Tsukishima probably already knew. His eyes and ears were everywhere and they reported everything to him. He knew that he was probably seen with Rangiku by at least ten different agents.

He pulled back his hand and sighed. He could never tell Rangiku why he left her without any word. He walked away from the desk, but before he reached the door, the phone began to ring. He turned and sighed and reached for it. He hesitated, but knew that he would have to take it. He picked up the phone and sighed before he answered.

"This is Gin."

"Hello Gin," Tsukishima said from the other hand. "I understand that you just reconnected with your old flame. I trust that you'll have a good night tonight. Don't worry. I can easily carry out tonight's phase by myself. However, just make sure that you're ready for tomorrow's announcement."

"I will," Gin said. "I take it that Aizen is ready as well?"

"He is. Operation End of Hypnosis is about to begin on his end. Now, go have some fun tonight. You deserve it."

"Thanks," Gin said. "We're nearing the end, aren't we?"

"We are," Tsukishima said. "Have a pleasant evening."

"I will," Gin said. "I'll be one of the few people who will," he said and hanged up the phone. He sighed and made his way out of the office. He looked at Rangiku who was dressed in a lovely blue evening dress with rhinestones lining the top. "I'm sorry, but I had some last minute business to take care of," he said.

"That's alright," Rangiku said. "You didn't keep me that long."

"Good," Gin said. "Now then, let's get something to eat."

_Inoue Residence_

"I got a call from Tatsuki," Orihime said. "So far everything's good. Keigo and Mizuiro have agreed to help in whatever way they can."

"That's good," Starrk said.

"Sung-Sun, make sure that you pack enough explosives in case we need to make a quick getaway," Harribel said.

"Yes ma'am," Sung-Sun said.

"What about Lilynette?" Starrk asked.

"She's fine," Orihime said. "Tatsuki dropped her off with Yuzu and Karin."

Starrk nodded. He hoped that she would be safe there. He would never forgive himself if something happened to her and he wasn't there to prevent it. He looked at the clock and saw that it was 5:15 PM. He sighed.

"Starrk, let's get going," Harribel said.

He nodded and looked at Orihime.

"Will you be alright?"

"Do not worry about her," Ulquiorra said. "I will be here."

"Anyways, Isaac and Miria will be back when they've had enough of the festivities," Orihime said. "Then they'll be back to crash on the couch."

Starrk smiled a little at that. Isaac and Miria were odd, but they were good people. Without them, they would probably have still been in prison or most likely hanging from a sour apple tree.

"Well, then you'll be in good company," Starrk said.

"Also, I have Enraku watching over me," Orihime said. "He's been with me since I was a baby and he…he reminds me that my brother is watching over me."

Starrk smiled, but he was curious about why Ulquiorra tightened-up the way he did whenever she mentioned her brother. He couldn't understand it, but thought that he probably never would. Ulquiorra kept many things about him secret. Starrk wished that he wouldn't. He thought that if Ulquiorra could open up, then maybe he would understand that happiness required the risk of loss. He decided that perhaps it was time for Ulquiorra to take off that mask that he tried to maintain.

"Ulquiorra, I need to speak to you real quick," he said.

"Very well," Ulquiorra said and approached Starrk. "What do you wish to discuss?"

"In private," Starrk said and led him to the small room at the end of the hall.

Ulquiorra cocked his head slightly in the way he often times did whenever he was confused about something. He followed Starrk and they went into the room. Starrk turned on the light and closed the door after making sure that no one followed to eavesdrop.

"What do you wish to discuss?"

"Ulquiorra, it's obvious that Orihime's trying to get to know you. So, please, just try to open up to her."

"I do not understand. I am being myself."

"That's the problem. You're not."

Ulquiorra looked at him and made his way to the door.

"If that is all that you wished to speak to me about, then it was a waste of my time."

"Ulquiorra, you try to be cold and uncaring, but that's nothing more than a mask that you put on. Hell, even Apacci can see that you like her and you know how she can be when it comes to other people's feelings."

"Indeed, and it appears that side of her still holds and has spread to the rest of you. Orihime Inoue means nothing to me."

"Then why did you save her from Loly?"

"Who told you?" Ulquiorra asked as he spun around.

"Orihime told us while we were laying low in that cabin. It's obvious that you do care for her. Why do you insist on wearing that mask?"

"And why do you insist on pursuing this matter? Why are you so eager to change me?"

"Is it really changing you if it's restoring you to who you truly are? Deep down, you're nothing like the cold, calculating, uncaring, stuck-up, kiss-ass that we all thought you were. If you were, then you would still be with Aizen. Face it Ulquiorra, you're not fooling anyone."

"I do not wish to discuss this anymore," Ulquiorra said and he opened the door. "Now, you better get going before it gets to be too late."

"Fine, but…think about it, Ulquiorra. Orihime wants to know you because she cares for you. I suggest that you show her some courtesy and open up to her. However, if you need some proper motivation, consider it repayment for her saving your life. Now, it may be painful for both of you, I don't know, but you'll feel a lot better."

"How do you know?"

"Bel and I have shared many of our darkest secrets with each other and it only helped us grow stronger and become closer. Sure there are things in your life that are meant to be kept just to yourself, but if it's keeping you from growing closer to others, then perhaps you should just let it go. And confessing it is the best first step."

"And how much do I owe you for this session?" Ulquiorra asked.

Starrk looked at him in surprise and began to laugh.

"Oh man…I never thought I'd live to see the day when Ulquiorra actually told a joke. I'll tell you what. That'll due for the fee for today's session."

Starrk continued to laugh as he left the room. Ulquiorra shook his head. He could never quite understand Starrk's sense of humor.

_Sabaku Dessert_

Grimmjow fell to the ground, gasping. His face bloodied and bruised from the hits he had received. Baraggan looked down at him, scowling.

"Nirgge, give him another ten," he said.

"Yes sir," Nirgge said and lifted Grimmjow by the color of his vest. He struck Grimmjow another ten times in the face and chest. When he was done he allowed Grimmjow to fall to the ground again.

"Now tell me, what were you and Nel planning to do?" Baraggan asked again.

"I…I ain't talking."

Baraggan frowned. He turned to Avirama and nodded. Avirama nodded to show that he understood and took out his hunting knife.

"Do you see this?" Avirama asked and displayed the blade. "I ain't gonna use this on you. I'm gonna use it on one of them," he said and gestured to the Panteras with the knife. "Now, you're gonna tell us what you're planning or you're gonna hear one of them scream for a little while."

"Grimmjow, don't worry about us," Yylfordt said. "I'm sure we can take what he dishes out."

Grimmjow smiled and shook his head. He knew they were trying to act tough for his sake, but Avirama was too well-trained in "motivating" people to talk. However, Avirama would try to make it as quick as possible. He could tell that Avirama didn't like the idea of torturing people who had become comrades for him. Even Baraggan was feeling uneasy about the situation. He knew he couldn't hide it anymore.

"I'll confess," Grimmjow said and looked at Baraggan. "I've been spying for Ulquiorra."

Gasps rose from the crowd of Arrancars. Mutters rose as well and there were some who were muttering for an immediate execution of the traitors. Some were shaking their heads or looked away, but Luppi looked ecstatic.

_He helped weed out a traitor,_ Grimmjow thought. _He thinks he's gonna be rewarded._

"Grimmjow…is this true?" Avirama asked. Grimmjow could hear the tremor in his voice.

"I'm sorry, but it is," Grimmjow said. "My Panteras weren't involved. Just let them go and punish me."

Baraggan stood up and looked at the army.

"LOLY, COME HERE WITH YOUR WHIP," he roared.

Loly rushed forward, laughing as she brought the whip she would have used against Orihime. She knelt before him and displayed the whip. Each of the cords had bits of glass and stones in it. Baraggan looked at Grimmjow and then nodded to her.

"GIVE HIM TWENTY LASHES! THEN PREPARE HIM FOR IMMEDIATE EXECUTION BY BALA!"

"With pleasure," Loly said and smiled. "Menoly, strip off his vest. I'm about to make pretty boy here a whole lot prettier."

"Yes Loly," Menoly said.

She made her way to Grimmjow and took off his vest. She stepped back as Loly stepped forward. She gave a practice swing with the whip and nodded at the sound it made as it swung through the air. She smiled as she swung the whip. Grimmjow felt the bits of glass and stone and bone digging into his back. He cried out as his flesh was torn.

"Aw, did Kitty-Cat get a little boo-boo?" Loly asked and began to laugh. "What a PITY!" she cried as she swung the whip again. "YES! YES! YES! SCREAM! SCREAM BITCH! SCREAM BITCH! SCREAM! SCREAM! SCREEEEEEEAM!" she roared as she continued to swing the whip. Most of the Arrancars cringed, but Luppi was laughing. The sight of blood excited him as much as it did Loly. With each lash, Grimmjow cried out in pain. "SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAM!"

"LOLY, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Menoly shouted. "You're above twenty now."

"Aw…already? That's a shame," she said and brought the whip down one more time.

The Arrancars backed away from her in case she decided she wanted to tie any of them to the whipping post. Grimmjow collapsed to the ground. He found that he could barely move. He felt a pair of hands lift him up. He looked as Nirgge and Avirama thrust him against the rock wall. Grimmjow began to slide down. The feel of the rock wall digging into his raw wounds was extremely painful. He cried out and straightened.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez," Baraggan said. "You are accused of conspiring with the Gotei and the Traitors Starrk, Harribel, and Schiffer. You are also accused of the murder of Charlotte Cuuhlhourne. On both counts you are guilty by your own admission. Therefore, you are sentenced to death by Bala.

"However, your Panteras will be spared. However, they must submit their loyalty to me," Baraggan said. "If they deny you and submit to me, then I will forgive them of all involvement."

"Grimmjow…" Edorad said and looked at him.

"Do as he says," Grimmjow said. "Don't be a bunch of idiots. Just…do as he says."

"I will not," Shawlong said and he stepped to stand beside Grimmjow. "I made a vow to stand beside you no matter what. I'm going to keep my oath."

"I will as well," Edorad said and he stepped to the wall. "I always keep my promise."

"If you think we're just gonna abandon ya now, think again," Di Roy said.

"No shit," Nakeem said. "We've been through too much together."

"That's right, we're your Panteras," Yylfordt said. "We followed you this far and we're gonna follow you to the depths of Hell."

"No…you'll die," Grimmjow said.

"Then we die," Shawlong said.

"So be it," Baraggan said. "LET IT BE KNOWN THAT GRIMMJOW AND HIS PANTERAS ARE HEREBY SENTENCED TO DEATH. Now, who shall be the executioner?"

No one moved. Baraggan looked at his Crimson Dragons, but none of them made a move. The Luppi stepped forward. His face was beaming with a desire to kill. Luppi gazed at Grimmjow and smiled at him.

"I will," Luppi said. "After all, I uncovered his treachery. I should be the one to pull the trigger."

Many of the Arrancars nodded in approval, but others scowled at him. Grimmjow felt that Luppi only wanted to do it in order to feel as though he was a true Espada. He had a feeling that those who were scowling at Luppi were thinking the same thing. It was not unheard of an Arrancar killing an Espada and taking the title of Espada on himself. However, it was frowned upon because many felt that just killing an Espada did not entitle an Arrancar to the title of Espada.

"Very well. Their blood shall be on your head," Baraggan said. "WONDERWEISS, BRING UP THE BALA SHOOTER."

"HWAA YAAAAA GAAA" Wonderweiss said as he drove one of the carts up.

On the back, a Bala Shooter stood on its stand, which was bolted to the cart's bed. Grimmjow watched as Luppi climbed into the cart and stood behind the Shooter. He got one of the clips of bullets out of the crate that lay next to the mounted gun and loaded it. Grimmjow looked at his Panteras and sighed.

"Gentlemen," he said. "It was a pleasure to ride with you."

"It was a pleasure to ride with you, Grimmjow," Shawlong said and smiled.

"READY!" Baraggan roared.

"Let's face this like true Arrancars," Grimmjow said.

"AIM!"

The Panteras nodded and faced forward. Grimmjow looked forward and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Nel," he said.

"FIRE!"

In the distance Nel heard the roar of gunfire. She stood up.

"What is it?" Pesche asked.

"Grimmjow," she whispered and tears began to roll down her cheeks.

_Outside the Senkaimon Goods Station_

Renji and Rukia made their way to the top of the hill and looked down at the goods station below them.

"Okay, so Ichigo and Isshin are being kept in there," Rukia said and pointed at the office building to the far side of the sea of boxcars.

"It's pretty well lit," Renji said. "That means we'll have to be careful."

"Right," Rukia said and dug out her pocket watch. "It's currently 5:57 PM. The fireworks begin at 7:00 PM. If we want the distraction to work, we need to set it off before 6:50 PM. Any later and they'll think that the fireworks just started early. And we need to make sure they see it."

"I'll take care of that part," Renji said. "I'll set off the explosives at 6:49 PM. In the meantime, you get as close to the office as you can and get ready to knock out anyone who tries to get in your way. I'll rejoin you as quickly as I can."

"Alright," Rukia said and looked at the lights below. Renji looked at her and sighed.

"We better get going. Time passes quickly," Renji said and he began to rush to the station. Rukia followed close behind.

"Hang on, Ichigo," she said. "We're coming."

_Inoue Residence_

Ulquiorra paced the room. Everything was coming to a boiling point. He knew that the others felt it. While he felt relieved that they had some allies, he felt that things were happening too fast and people would die. No matter what they did, it wouldn't do any good.

"Why even bother?" he asked. "We are too late no matter what we try to do."

"Ulquiorra, are you alright?" Orihime asked as she knocked on the room's door.

"I am quite well, Little Girl," he said.

"May I come in?"

"Very well," Ulquiorra said as he opened the door.

Orihime walked into the room and looked at Ulquiorra. However, she wasn't smiling as she usually did. He knew that didn't mean anything good.

"I've been talking to Harribel," she said.

"I see," Ulquiorra said.

_What are they trying to do? Do they really think that I can open up to her and everything will be alright? I can't. I won't. If I do, then I'll lose her. And I don't want to lose her._

"Ulquiorra, I need to talk to you."

_Karakura Town_

Captain Hitsugaya made his way to the telegraph office. He knew that Momo would want to hear from him, but this was the first opportunity he had to take a breather. He was glad that Captain Kuchiki agreed to take his place in overseeing the crowds since he was not interested in the festivities.

He opened the door and saw the two telegraph operators, Akon and Rin, sitting at the table. Akon was drinking a glass of wine while Rin was enjoying a bag of Chappy's Choco-Caramel Chews. They turned and stood up and saluted.

"Oh…Captain Hitsugaya," Akon said. "We weren't exactly expecting you."

"At ease, I just need to send a message to Fort Seireitei. May I?"

"Of course, sir," Akon said. "I assume that you know how to use it."

"I do," Toshiro said as he sat down.

He looked at the machine and smiled. When he started out in the Gotei, he was a telegraph operator and it felt good to be behind it again. He had enough of the armies of secretaries who believed that a Captain's duty should not include delivering and taking messages. While he was annoyed that his Lieutenant would rather get drunk instead of doing her share of the paper work, he was even more annoyed with not being allowed to sit behind a telegraph.

"So, are you sending a message to your girlfriend?"

"No, she's more of a sister to me," Toshiro said and smiled. "She's the only family I ever really knew."

_Fort Seireitei_

Aizen looked at himself in the mirror. He admired how the uniform looked on him. He made his way to the door and stepped out where the other members of Squad 5 were standing ready. Most of them had no idea of what their Captain was planning for tonight.

"Captain Aizen," Lieutenant Momo Hinamori said. "The troops are ready for your inspection before we head out to the parade ground."

"Thank you, Momo," he said. "Have you heard anything from Captain Hitsugaya?"

"No, not yet, sir," she said and bowed her head.

"I see," Aizen said. "I'm sure he has to help with overseeing the festivities tonight."

"Yeah, that's probably it."

Aizen looked at Momo and smiled. He found her rather annoying with her constant tailing him to see if he needed anything done. Yet, she had good intentions. He tried to find a way to fit her into his plans, but she was more loyal to the Gotei than to him and was therefore worthless.

"I'm sure he's doing just fine. Now, then let's do our inspection and then head out."

"Yes sir," Momo said and followed her Captain down the line.

_Karakura Town_

Captain Ukitake sighed as he watched Captain Kyoraku drinking with some of the other celebrants. He sighed as he smoothed down the ascot he wore. He hoped that Kiyone and Sentaro were behaving themselves.

"Well, you're looking rather handsome."

He looked up and saw Unohana coming towards him. She was wearing a dress of purple silk with her hair tied back by a dark blue ribbon. She wore a necklace of a thin gold chain with an ornate bellflower made from small chips of emeralds and chips of blue sapphires hanging from it. Ukitake felt as though he could not breathe. He was looking at true beauty and he wanted to embrace her.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered.

"Do you really think so?"

"I do," Ukitake said and stood up.

"Well…thank you," Unohana said and blushed.

The music, which was once fast and festive, became slow and subdued. Ukitake held out his hand to her. She looked at him and smiled.

"May I have this dance?"

"You may," Unohana said and took his hand.

_The Northern Borderlands_

Rudobon and Alejo watched as their branches of the Exequias Army continued to move south. The lines of the Cero-Class Canons stretched back for hundreds of yards.

"Alejo, I want to have men check the canons to make sure they can be fired. If they can't, then leave them. We're leaving too long of a trail behind us."

"I understand, sir. However, Aizen made it clear that after tonight the Gotei will not be a major factor."

"Then Aizen's a fool. As far as I'm concerned, if a factor is not fully eliminated then they'll always be a factor. At any rate, both branches are on track to arriving to the Garganta Pass to meet up with the Arrancar Army."

"Sir, what about Aizen? Isn't he supposed to be leading us?"

Rudobon closed his eyes. His hand gripped the bone hilt of his sword. It was true, Aizen was supposed to lead them, but instead he was in Fort Seireitei doing his part. In the meantime, Baraggan was in charge of the Arrancar army. He saw the potential problems rising to the surface.

"There's too much division," he said.

"Sir?"

"Alejo, should we just retreat? Should we head back? Or should we continue forward?"

"We continue forward," Alejo said. "It's true that our forces are technically divided, but as long as we don't try to order the Arrancar Army, then we shouldn't have any problems."

"I agree. However, as soon as we crush Karakura Town, we leave. We will never have anything to do with Aizen again." He sighed as he looked over his forces. "Alejo, I may have made a mistake in agreeing with Aizen. I should have asked you about it first."

"Sir, you did what you thought was best. This way, the Exequias Army will have a chance at reclaiming its former glory. How many other Arrancars have ever received that opportunity? Right now, we can't have any doubts. We move forward."

"Yet, we may be marching to our own deaths," Rudobon said. In the distance they could see fireworks being shot in the air. "They celebrate their dead this way," he said. "Who will celebrate us when we die?"

"Those who come after will always remember those who died in glory."

"Yes, but war is nothing to glorify. They never tell how much the commanders want to shit their pants or to drop everything and run away. They never tell about the screams of the dying and the wounded. They never tell about how you continue to see the faces of those you killed. I have taken countless lives and I can still see their faces and I can still hear their screams. One can never truly escape from that.

"Tell me, Alejo, what are we fighting for?"

"We're fighting to protect the Arrancars from the monsters in the Gotei who raided us time-and-time again and killed without discretion."

"But aren't we doing the same thing? Aren't we monsters as well?"

"I…I don't know," Alejo said. "I never thought about it."

"That's because we maintained the 'Us vs. Them' that has enslaved all of our sides in this cycle. Maybe I'm just coming to realize it."

Alejo didn't know how to respond to Rudobon's words. Instead, they both watched as the night sky began to bloom with colorful flowers. As they watched, Rudobon muttered something under his breath. It was something that had been on his mind for some time and only now could he find voice for it.

"We are all nothing but sparks floating on the wind, hoping to burn the world before we burn out."

_The Senkaimon Goods Station_

Rukia made her way carefully around the boxcars that stood empty. Every once in a while she could see the main office building where the holding cells were. She stopped whenever she heard footsteps nearby, but the night shadows were providing a good source of hiding spots and hardly anybody was around. She could feel her heart beating fast.

She continued to make her way forward and could see lights shining in the downstairs area where the holding cells were and figures moving around inside. She tried to count them and could make out five. She hoped that Renji had the diversion set up. She looked around and made her way forward. She could see the figures clearly and she stopped as she saw one of them heading towards the door. She decked behind a pile of lumber just as the guard stepped out. She peered over the pile and watched as the man lit a cigarette and looked around.

She hoped that the man would stay where he was or at least walk in any other direction than her own. She took out her pocket watch, but it slipped from her fingers and fell to the ground and made a soft noise as it struck the gravel. She ducked, but her feet slid a little and made a slight crunching sound.

"Hello. Is anybody there?" the man called out.

_Shit,_ Rukia thought as she heard the footsteps approaching. Then, she heard a cat calling from somewhere nearby. The man chuckled and walked back to the office. She took a risk and peered over the lumber and watched as he made his way to the office.

"Hey, did you see somebody?" one of the other men asked.

"Oh…Dorian, no, it was just a frickin' cat or a rabbit."

"A cat or a rabbit?" the man named Dorian asked. "It wasn't one of our expected guests?"

_Expected guests,_ Rukia thought. _I wonder who he's talking about._

"No sir," he said. "And Zommari said they might come including the one Lord Aizen wants to use."

"Oh really," Dorian Semental said and looked to where Rukia was hiding and waved. "I…see…you…Little Bunny Kuchiki."

Rukia's eyes became wide.

_IT'S A TRAP!_

She was about to run to find Renji when she felt someone grab her from behind. She felt hot breath and the cold metal of a mask against her face. She winced as she saw the scrollwork that ran along the mask's silver lips: "Se esconden en las Sombras", "Hide in the Shadows."

"Hello again, Bitch," Aaroniero said in his raspy voice. "It's been a while."

_Inoue Residence_

"Ulquiorra, I need to talk to you," Orihime said.

"What do you need to talk about?" Ulquiorra asked.

"I need to know what you're hiding from me."

"What are you talking about?"

"Every time I try to talk to you about how you became this way, you keep dodging. You keep saying that you did things that you're not proud of, but everyone can say that. So why don't you tell me?"

"It is complicated," he said, his voice was shaking slightly and Orihime noticed it.

"You're afraid. Are you so afraid that you did something that would cause me to hate you enough to just abandon you?"

"That's…none of your concern."

"Damn it, Ulquiorra. Why aren't you letting me in? How can I possibly love you when you're not letting me into your heart?"

"It's because…you…you wouldn't understand."

"Ulquiorra, I need you to tell me the truth. What caused you to become so…cold and…and uncaring?"

"That's none of your concern."

"Of course it's my concern," Orihime said. "It's my concern because I love you."

"Why? Why would you love someone like me? It is foolish for someone like you to love someone like me."

"For God's sake, Ulquiorra…TAKE OFF THE MASK! I know you don't really mean it. So…just take off the mask that you've put on to protect yourself."

Ulquiorra looked at her and saw the tears in her eyes. He closed his own eyes and gritted his teeth. He began to wonder why even his dreams were telling him to take off the mask. He knew what lied under it and it was nothing that could be loved or pitied. He was a demon. And when you got down to it, who could love a demon? He reached into his coat pocket and touched the cold silver of the Heart Box.

"Are you sure you want this?" he asked.

"I'm sure. No matter how painful it may be to face I will always love you."

"You won't," Ulquiorra said. He pulled out the Heart Box and held it to her. He looked at her as she took it. "You won't."

Orihime looked at it and then at Ulquiorra.

"You know, Starrk told me that he suspected you had Gotei training. "If that's all…"

"Open it," Ulquiorra said. "If you really want to know who I am, then open it."

Orihime looked at the side and found the button to open the latch. She heard the soft clicking noise that it made and she looked at him.

"Ulquiorra, no matter what's in here, I'll always love you. By giving this to me, you're opening your heart to me."

Ulquiorra only looked at her and shook his head. Orihime opened the Heart Box and looked at it. At first she was confused and then her mouth fell open. Her eyes were wide and tears were welling up in them. She looked at him.

"Where…where did you get this? This was…this was Sora's. This was my brother's. So tell me, where did you get it?"

"Orihime Inoue…Little Princess…yes, he was right in calling you that," Ulquiorra whispered.

"What are you saying?"

"Have you ever wondered how your brother died? Have you ever wondered why other families received a visit to inform them that their loved ones would never return to them? Have you ever wondered why his Heart Box was not found on him, but the others who did have Heart Boxes still had them?"

"No…no…this is…this can't be," Orihime muttered.

"I was right. I was right to hide it from you. Now that you know, you'll hate me. You'll cast me out like the demon I really am."

"Ulquiorra…what are you saying."

"Orihime Inoue, the one who killed your brother was me," he said.

Orihime stared at him in silence. Outside, the fireworks began to paint the sky with their bright blossoms.

_The sparks that had been floating in the air landed in the dry brush and became a roaring fire._

**End of Chapter 12**

**A.N.: Okay, so this was originally supposed to be one chapter, but then I realized that so much is going on during this time period that I had to divide it into two separate chapters so this chapter is Part 1 and the next chapter will be Part 2. When I was writing Chapter 11 and decided that Ulquiorra was the one who killed Sora Inoue, I knew that he would confess it sometime in this chapter. Now, I'm rather familiar with the cliche of fireworks being shot off during a first kiss and I wanted to use that in terms of Ulquiorra finally telling Orihime what he's been hiding from her.**

**Anyways, the next chapter is officially the one I'm dreading writing the most. I should warn you ahead of time that one will contain a lot of deaths so be prepared. As for what happened to Grimmjow and the Panteras...Chapter 14.**

**That's all for now. Thank you for reading and please review.**


	13. Chapter 13: Noche del Incendio

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 13: Noche del Incendio**

_Hanging Dog, Eight Years Before_

_"Come on, Slow Poke," Rukia called back._

_"I'm coming," Renji said, panting hard as he ran up the hill._

_"Hurry up, or you'll miss it."_

_Renji ran up the hill until he reached the top. He fell backwards and sighed. Rukia flung herself next to him and imitated his sigh._

_"I love coming up here," she said._

_"Why?"_

_"Because, Dummy, we can see the stars. Look, there's Orion and there's the Little Dipper and there's…"_

_"…a bug in your hair," Renji said._

_Rukia sat up, shrieking as she ran her hand through her hair. Renji began to laugh and Rukia hit him on the arm._

_"NOT FUNNY!" she yelled._

_"Yeah it was," Renji said and burst out laughing even harder._

_Rukia tried to keep a straight face, but failed. She couldn't help but laugh when Renji laughed. They laughed and then allowed themselves to fall backwards._

_"Rukia," Renji said. "Promise me something."_

_"What?"_

_"Promise me that no matter what happens we'll always be friends."_

_"Silly, you don't have to worry about that."_

_"I know, but…"_

_The Senkaimon Goods Station, Karakura Town_

"…promise me," Renji mumbled.

"Hey, I think he's comin' around," someone said.

Renji's eyes fluttered opened and he looked at the pair of boots before him. He looked up and saw that he was looking at a grinning man he didn't recognize.

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey," the man said and burst out laughing.

"Shut up, will ya?" another cried out.

"Tch…you're no fun. So, what does the boss have planned with this one?"

"Don't know and don't care. Aaroniero told us to keep an eye on them while he went to fetch Zommari and call the Boss to let him know."

"Rukia…" Renji muttered. "What did you…do to…Rukia?"

"Oh…do you mean the slut? She's safe…for now," one of the men said and grinned.

_Inoue Residence_

"Orihime Inoue, the one who killed your brother was me," Ulquiorra said.

Orihime did not know what to say. Outside, the fireworks painted the sky with their blossoms. She looked into his eyes and could tell that he was not lying. She felt herself struggling for breath. She could not believe what Ulquiorra just told her. No, she would not believe it.

"No," she whispered. "No…that's…that's not true."

"It is," Ulquiorra said.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"You wished for me to tell you what I was keeping from you. Even Starrk told me to do that. Well, you asked for it and there it is. Well, why don't you say something? Could it be that you realized that you were deceiving yourself into believing that you could love someone like me? Did you honestly believe that I…that I would be able to love you in return after what I did? Well, say something. I want to hear you say that you were wrong about me. I told you because you wanted to see the real me. THIS IS THE REAL ME!" he shouted. "I am the cold, black-hearted soul that I portray to the world and I…I love it. The gun is my path. It is cold and hard and lethal. I am the gun and the gun is me," he said and withdrew his revolver.

Orihime looked at the Heart Box and closed it. She looked at the revolver and then at Ulquiorra. Her eyes were filled with sorrow. She walked towards him and Ulquiorra backed away. She reached out towards him and he flinched back.

"You're not," she whispered as tears ran down her cheeks. "You're not like that. If you were, then you wouldn't have called me 'Little Princess' that day."

"I was delirious. I had been shot and I did not know what I was saying," Ulquiorra said.

"You did," Orihime said and reached out to him again. She took a step closer and her fingers brushed on Ulquiorra's cheek. "You did and I know you meant it. When I was young, I dreamed of you and it was only in that cabin that I realized what it meant. Our souls were crying out to each other. They were trying to find each other and be united."

"That…that's ridiculous," Ulquiorra said.

"No it's not. Ulquiorra, I…I still love you," she said and she allowed her lips to connect with his.

Ulquiorra stepped back. He was surprised at this sudden turn, but he was not displeased by it. He began to think that maybe Starrk had been right. Confessing that darkest part of him had opened up a new gateway of possibilities. He broke away from Orihime and looked into her eyes. He allowed one hand to wipe away the tears spilling from her eyes. He felt her hand doing the same with his own tears.

_This is the soul, _he thought. _This is the soul and I never even realized it until now._

"Do you love me?" Ulquiorra asked.

"I do," Orihime said and they kissed again.

He felt the mask that he wore for so many years finally shatter.

_Karakura Town_

Rangiku and Gin made their way to the back of the nearly empty restaurant. There were only a few other diners since most of the others were most likely eating the barbecued meat and grilled corn and roasted vegetables at the various stands set up throughout Karakura Town. The sound of the fireworks filled the night sky.

"Gin, you didn't have to do this for me," Rangiku said.

"Yes, I did," Gin said and smiled at her.

"Your private room, monsieur," the waiter said and opened a hidden panel that led into a private dining area. There was another door that led directly to the kitchen. They went to the table and the waiter pulled out a chair for Rangiku while Gin seated himself in his own chair. When the two were seated, the waiter stepped back. "This evening we have a truffle walnut salad with raspberry vinaigrette followed by a bowl of beef soup with roasted peppers and onions. Followed by the main course, which is apple-grilled pork lightly glazed with honey with steamed harvest vegetables. For desert, we have a caramel apple pie served with churned iced cream."

"That sounds wonderful," Rangiku said.

"Yes, that will be sufficient," Gin said.

"Very good, sir," the waiter said. He bowed before going into the kitchen to place the order.

"Gin, you really didn't have to do this."

"Yes, I do," Gin said. "I'm sorry for any…distress I put you in."

"Gin, do you realize how much you hurt me? I thought that we had something, but when I woke up and saw that you weren't beside me, I…how do you think I should have felt?"

"I can't say that I blame you. If I was in your position, I would probably hate me as well."

"Gin, did that night mean anything to you?"

"It meant everything to me," Gin said and put a hand over her own. "That's why I left."

"Why?"

"It was because I was afraid," Gin said. "I was afraid that maybe I would lose that connection. So, I did the only thing that I knew how to do whenever I was afraid. I ran. It's no excuse, but...it's the truth. I ran and I left you behind. That…I always hated myself for doing that."

Rangiku looked at him and smiled.

"But you came back. When you saw me, you could have just run away. Why didn't you?"

"I guess it's because I need you right now. I need you to remind me."

"Remind you of what?"

Before Gin replied, the door to the kitchen opened and the waiter returned with a bottle of wine in a silver bucket and two glasses while another carried in a tray with two bowls of the salad.

"Maybe later," Gin said. "But right now, let's eat."

_The Visored "Warehouse"_

"Okay, so how are we gonna do this?" Giriko asked.

The members of the Xcution and Visored Squads were meeting together. Jackie was happy since she was allowed to bring in her extremely filthy boots which she was admiring even now. Riruka and Hiyori looked at Jackie as though she was insane.

"First," Yukio said. "We need to decide on who's going and who's going to go to the rendezvous point. Then we need to agree on a time."

"I've been inside the Pinkerton Agency Offices before and I know where the cells are," Kensei said. "So I should go. Mashiro, you should go to the rendezvous point with Hiyori and Hachi. Lisa, you come with me since you're a better shot than I am."

"No problem," Lisa said.

"BULLSHIT!" Hiyori said. "I'M COMING TOO! Someone needs to look after that dumbass and make sure he doesn't get lost."

"No," Kensei said. "The fewer of us involved, the better off we'll be. Giriko, I want you and Yukio to head to the meeting place. Riruka, I want you and Jackie to go back to the Kurosaki residence and keep an eye on Yuzu and Karin."

"Wait a minute, who's there now?" Hachi asked.

They looked at each other and then at Riruka. Riruka looked at them and then she stood up.

"Shit, I thought you were, Hachi," she said.

"You didn't ask me," Hachi said.

"Oh shit," Jackie said. "Okay, Riruka, you and I will go to the Kurosaki residence and check up on the girls. The rest of you, do whatever. Come on."

"I'm sorry…I…I honestly thought…" Riruka began as she and Jackie rushed out of the warehouse.

"Damn it, Riruka. Now's not the time. We have to make sure that nothing's happened to the girls."

They ran to their horses. Riruka knew that there would be no way in Hell she would forgive herself if something happened to Yuzu, Karin, or Lilynette.

_Karakura Town_

Starrk and Harribel made their way along the streets. They were careful that nobody got a good look at their faces and that the masks that Orihime gave them before they left weren't attracting too much unwanted attention. However, they were glad that the first thing they saw when they came out were people in all matters of costumes and masks for the evening balls that were now just getting started.

"It looks like we picked the right night to do this," Starrk whispered.

"Yeah, and we have a couple of hours to spare before we have to meet up with Tatsuki," Harribel said.

They made their way through the streets. They saw sparkling pin-wheels shoot off their multicolored tails as they spun around. Bottle rockets flew up into the night sky and their small bursts added to the larger fireworks that were going off even now. They watched them and Starrk was amazed at how much the Gensei Provinces could afford to do these kinds of shows. Back in the Hueco Mundo Wastes, the idea of fireworks was appalling since they considered it a waste of gunpowder. If someone carrying fireworks ever entered the Wastes, they would be robbed immediately just for the gunpowder in each rocket.

"Starrk, they're so beautiful," Harribel said.

"They're a waste of ammunition," he replied.

"That may be. But Starrk, imagine what it would be like if the sole purpose of gunpowder was to make something like that," she said and pointed as a bottle rocket exploded in the sky and a small shower of green and gold sparks lit the night sky.

Starrk looked as the sparks faded and realized what she was saying. The beauty in fireworks wasn't just the colors they made in the night sky. It was also in the reactions he saw on the faces of those who watched. He watched as another firework erupted in the night sky and he smiled.

"I see it," he whispered and held Harribel's hand. "I can see what they see in such things."

_Fort Seireitei_

The Gotei band played and the crowds cheered as the Gotei forces marched through the streets of Fort Seireitei according to their units. The crowd waved tiny flags for each of the Provinces as well as the Gensei Provinces as a whole and the Gotei flag. The fireworks erupted high overhead.

Aizen, like the other Captains present, rode close to the front of the line with General Yamamoto at the head. He looked around and he nodded at the crowd. Every so often, the nod was received by someone to show that they understood and then that person would fade away into the crowd. He waved with his forefinger and middle finger crossed and someone would return it from the crowd.

Things were now being set into motion. The Mercenaries had their orders as well as those who were working within the Gotei. When the moon reached its zenith and the Burning Man was lit, the final signal would be given.

_Nothing can stop me now,_ Aizen thought. _At least, nothing here can stop me._

For the first time since he started plotting against the Gensei Provinces, he became worried that something or someone would ruin his plans. He tried to think of any and all scenarios where something could slip and he made sure to avoid them. However, he had crossed the Rubicon a long time ago and there was nothing he could do to stop it now.

_Senkaimon Goods Station_

Rukia opened her eyes and saw that she was lying on a floor. Her head swam and her vision was extremely blurry. Her body felt as though a pile of bricks had fallen on it and her muscles were weak. She tried to think of how she got here. But the last thing she remembered before she blacked out was Aaroniero grabbing her and putting a cloth over her nose and mouth. Everything after that was darkness.

She listened to the sounds of footsteps coming from the hall. She tried to move, but the ropes that bound her were tied tight. The door opened and she saw a pair of boots approaching her.

"Well, well, well…Little Bunny Kuchiki," the man mocked and leaned down. She felt a hand grab her jaw and raised her enough to see his badly scarred face. "Ain't you just the cutest little thing?" he asked and grinned. Rukia tried to scream, but her voice wouldn't come. Dorian Semental laughed and shook his head. "Don't worry. I can't hurt you like that…not since that bastard cut my balls. But, what I can do is keep an eye on you. Oh, and don't think that your little boyfriend can help ya either. We got him too."

Rukia listened as Dorian Semental laughed. She closed her eyes and began to wonder how they were found out. She knew that no matter which way she looked at it, they had failed.

_Junrinan_

"This is incredible," Szayel Aporro said as he looked at the mechanism that was assembling explosives four at a time.

He watched as the machine poured in the gunpowder into the tubes before sending them off to be capped. He saw that Ganju was busy loading the explosives into crates. Kukaku strode up and smiled as she looked at the machine.

"I call it 'Ole Betsy'. She was originally supposed to be used for scrap after an old factory went belly-up, but I was able to…persuade a few folks to let me keep her."

"That means that she threatened to aim one of her flower crane cannons at their houses and blow them sky-high," Ganju said.

"I DID NOT!" Kukaku said. "Well…maybe I did threaten them a little with a little display."

"YOU PRACTICALLY BLEW A HOLE IN THE FACTORY OWNER'S OFFICE!"

Szayel Aporro watched as the brother and sister got into an argument, which Kukaku effectively won by tossing Ganju to the floor and then pulling his arm back. He sighed and looked at the machine.

"Okay, enough lying about," Kukaku said. "Let's get to work. Mr. Granz, I suggest that you gather your things. Thanks to Ole Betsy here we can leave at dawn."

Szayel Aporro nodded in approval.

_Fort Seireitei_

General Yamamoto made his way to the platform where he would deliver his address when the time for the Burning Man Ceremony began. He looked at the parade grounds and then over at the Officers present.

"Shall we begin?" he asked.

"Yes sir," Aizen said as he took his position.

Aizen looked at the wicker man that was set up in mid-field surrounded by the straw men that had been made at dawn. He watched as the crowds began to fill the stands. He took out his pocket watch. The burning was to proceed at 10:30 PM and it was already 7:52 PM. It would just be a bunch of speeches and then the parade showing off the Gotei's might.

Aizen looked at the Wicker Man.

_You will be the signal_, he thought.

He watched from the corner of his eye as one of the other officers passed him and slipped a note into his pocket. He took it out and glanced on it. There were only two words on it, but those two words meant so much: ALL SET.

_Inoue Residence_

Orihime and Ulquiorra looked at each other. They were both surprised at how right their lips touching felt. He looked at her.

"Will you come with me?" he asked.

"Yes," Orihime said. "I'll go wherever you go."

Ulquiorra nodded.

"Grab whatever you can carry in a saddlebag. We have to leave as soon as possible. Karakura Town won't always be safe for us and we already made arrangements with the Captains. We're to join them at the Sergio Leone Ranch. We should be safe there, or at least safe enough for a time. We'll come up with a plan on how to deal with Aizen."

Orihime nodded and rushed to her room. Ulquiorra looked at the silver Heart Box and picked it up. She could hear him in her room gathering some clothes and then rushing to get other supplies they may need. He looked at the picture of Orihime with her brother in its frame.

"I promise," he whispered. "I will look after her."

_Fort Seireitei, Five Years Before_

_"RENJI, OVER HERE!"_

_He barely heard Ichigo calling out for him. His mind was dizzy with what Kyoraku told him. He couldn't believe that his father was dead. His father promised him that he would come back alive and his father never broke a promise before. But now he had. His father would never return to him._

_"Renji, are you alright?" Ichigo asked as he put a hand on his shoulder._

_"KEEP AWAY!" Renji yelled as he pushed Ichigo's hand off his shoulder._

_The other recruits in the dining hall looked at him. He saw Rukia rushing towards him. He backed away. He did not want her to see him like this._

_"Renji, what's wrong?" Rukia asked. "Does it have something to do with what Captain Kyoraku wanted to tell you?"_

_"It's none of your business," Renji said._

_"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked. "Of course it's part of our business. You're our friend."_

_"I…I just want to be left alone," Renji hissed._

_"Then why did you come here?" Rukia asked. Renji looked at her. She looked back at him and placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. "If you wanted to be left alone then why did you come here? You could have just gone to your room."_

_Renji didn't know how to respond. It was true. He could have just gone to his room, but instead he came here. He didn't understand it at first, but now he did. He lowered his head and beckoned them to follow. When they were away from the other recruits, Renji looked at them. Ichigo and Rukia were surprised to see that there were tears in his eyes._

_"I…I…" he muttered and then broke down. He embraced them and his tears flowed. "My dad's dead," he moaned. "He's dead."_

_Rukia and Ichigo did not say anything. There was no need to. Their touch, their warmth, their presence was all that Renji needed._

_Senkaimon Goods Station_

Renji opened his eyes again. He saw Rukia in the holding cell across from his. He looked around, but did not see Ichigo or Isshin anywhere.

"Rukia, are you alright?" he asked.

She looked at him and shook her head.

Renji looked up as someone entered the hall. He immediately recognized the mask.

"Well now, ain't this a pretty sight," Aaroniero said in his raspy voice. He reached up and removed his mask to reveal his hideously mangled face. "Oh, I'm so gonna love watch you squirm," he said to Rukia. "Your brother made my face like this. By all rights I should just carve up your face and make you look just as pretty as me. But, Aizen has…other things in mind."

"WHERE'S ICHIGO?" Rukia yelled. "TELL ME WHERE HE IS!"

"Safe," Aaroniero said as he put his mask back on, "at least for now. We moved him and his dear old daddy somewhere else. As soon as Zommari gets here with the other guests, we'll get started."

_Karakura Town_

"GODDAMN IT, RIRUKA," Jackie shouted. "Why didn't you make sure that we had someone watching over them?"

"SHUT UP!" Riruka shouted.

_Shit, if anything happens to them, I'll never forgive myself. Stupid, stupid, stupid, I'm just a stupid idiot._

They rode as hard as they could. They stopped when they saw someone running towards them. Riruka's heart sank. She looked at Jackie who stared wide-eyed at the figure running towards them.

"Oh shit," Jackie muttered.

Riruka didn't say anything. She rushed towards the girl.

"LILYNETTE!" she shouted. "What happened?"

"They took them," Lilynette panted. "They took them."

"Slow down," Jackie said. "What happened?"

"Men…came…saying they were from you, Riruka. Yuzu…she…she let them in and…and… I tried to save them, but I didn't have any explosives on me. I tried, but…but I…I couldn't. WE HAVE TO SAVE THEM!" Lilynette shouted. "THEY TOOK YUZU AND KARIN AND IF WE DON'T SAVE THEM SOMETHING BAD WILL HAPPEN!"

_Fort Seireitei_

Patros looked at his watch. It wouldn't be long before they set the Wicker Man on fire.

"Uncle," Arturo said. "We're all set. I'm having Mordred secure us some of the Bala Shooters that we'll use."

"Excellent," Patros said. "I'll have Menis and his group taking care of the interior of the main barracks while Aldegor and his group will take out any who try to escape who aren't on our side."

"What if they surrender?"

"I gave the order to kill anyone who tries to escape," Patros said. "Anyone of them could have killed my brother."

"I see," Arturo said. "Then we'll follow a 'Take no prisoners' policy."

"That's right," Patros said.

"Yes," Arturo said. "For too long the Arrancars have suffered Gotei oppression. It's time for them to feel our bite. However, I will order that those who are unable to fight like the children are to be unharmed. I will not have the blood of children on my hands."

"Children grow up," Patros said.

Arturo looked at his uncle and then sighed. It was true. Children did grow up, but that did not make him uneasy about what his uncle was suggesting.

_Senkaimon Goods Station_

Ichigo sat and looked at his folded hands. They were already in the prison car and in one of the two cells it contained. He looked at the Pinkerton Agent who was sitting in the corner, smoking a cigar. Ichigo looked at his dad who was standing at the bars.

"Dad," he said.

"What is it?" Isshin asked.

"Why is this happening?" he asked.

"I don't know," Isshin said. "I can only tell you that they think they have a good reason to do this. I don't know if the agents here were all deceived or if they're part of whatever plan is being hatched."

"Do you really think that those Arrancars were telling the truth?"

"I do," Isshin said. "And I think that much blood is going to be spilled."

At that moment, the door to the prison car opened and the agent stood up. The two men spoke to each other and then the one who just entered pointed to Ichigo and Isshin. The man nodded and approached the cell.

"Well, looks like you're free to go," he said to Isshin.

"What do you mean?"

"It means the way it sounds. You're free to go. Apparently the evidence against you was faked. You have some very dedicated friends to thank for that."

"That's a relief," Ichigo said.

"Anyways, we had someone pick up your daughters for you," the other man said. "They're here to say 'Hello' and rejoice in your good fortune."

"Why would you do that?" Isshin asked.

"We had orders to bring them here," the other man said.

"From whom?" Isshin asked.

"From me," another voice said and Zommari Rureaux stepped into the car. "And I received my orders from the Lord's Anointed, Souske Aizen, whom you so irreverently labeled 'Shadow Lurker.'"

_Karakura Town_

"Did you have a nice dinner?" Gin asked.

"I did," Rangiku said. "It was very good."

"That's good," Gin said. "We can check out the festivities if you wish."

"I think maybe I should head back to the hotel. Toshiro probably wants me to help him with his paperwork."

"I thought Captain Hitsugaya gave you the night off."

Rangiku blushed.

"Yeah, he did."

"Were you thinking of something else when you mentioned the hotel?"

"Maybe I was and maybe I wasn't. Would you like to find out?"

"You know that I have no choice but to find out."

"Then come on. We can set the night on fire our own way," Rangiku said and grabbed Gin's hand.

They walked together towards the hotel.

_Inoue Residence_

Orihime looked at Enraku, the stuffed bear she had for as long as she could remember. She kissed his nose and put him on the bed.

"Keep an eye on the place while I'm gone," she said.

She closed the door behind her and made her way to where Ulquiorra waited.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes," Orihime said.

"Then we should get going."

They walked out of the apartment and Orihime locked the door behind her. They walked together down the stairs and out the front door. Ulquiorra made sure that no one was watching them and then gestured for her to follow him. The two walked into the darkness. Neither saw the figure move in the shadows. When the weasel-faced man stood in the middle of the street, he smiled.

"Looks like you was right, Tsukishima," he whispered. "She was hiding 'em."

_Senkaimon Goods Station_

Ichigo and Isshin were pushed to the ground and Zommari stood over them.

"This is a sight," he said. "Two men of the badge are kneeling before an Espada. I wonder what that says about who's truly in authority and who is subservient. Then again, the victors alone are worthy to have authority. What do you think?"

"I think you can just go fuck yourself," Ichigo said.

"Ah, such spirit," Zommari said. "I suppose you can answer my question. Who do you think deserves authority?"

"The Good Guys," Ichigo said.

"But…who are the so-called 'Good Guys'? Is it those who are the Gotei? Is it the Arrancars? No, neither side are the 'Good Guys', but I have an idea. As I have already said, the 'Good Guys' are those who win. History is written by the victors and as a result the victors always make themselves look 'good' in order to feel justified in their sins. And the victors are always the ones whom the Lord favors."

"Are you some kind of preacher?" Isshin asked. "Are you a holy man in the Wastes?"

"No, I am merely the humble servant of Aizen."

"LIAR!" Ichigo shouted. "AIZEN IS NOT SHADOW LURKER!"

"SILENCE BOY!" Zommari shouted. "You are a foolish boy. Fools refuse to believe what is right in front of them. In his divine wisdom, Aizen saw fit to test our faith in him. I passed that test and so I was entrusted to perform a particular errand on Aizen's behalf."

"What sort of errand?" Isshin asked.

"To make the Kurosaki family pay for their sins," Zommari said and glared at them. "I am Aizen's Sword of Retribution and I will show no mercy on his enemies. Bring them here," he ordered and snapped his fingers.

Isshin and Ichigo looked at Zommari and then followed the direction he was pointing. Their eyes widened as they saw a man and a woman dragging Yuzu and Karin towards them.

"We have them, sir," the woman said. "There was a third with them, but she got away."

"It was that fucking brat that hung around Starrk," the man said. "I recognized her."

"I see," Zommari said. "Reyval," he said to the man, "keep your revolver aimed on…"

"LET THEM GO!" Isshin shouted.

"SHUT UP!" their guard said and struck Isshin in the back of the head with the butt of his rifle. "Do not speak unless spoken to, Dog."

"That's enough," Zommari said and looked at Ichigo. "I suppose that a 'Thank you' is in order for you. It is because of your inability to believe Starrk's words that Aizen will be able to do what he has set out to do."

Ichigo looked at Zommari. He could not believe that this was happening. He refused to believe that his own prejudices led to this moment. Yet, Starrk's words that day came back to him even now:

"_However, if you refuse, then know that whatever blood is spilt will be partially your fault. You will have to live with the regret and the shame for the rest of your life."_

"Please, not them," Isshin said. "Take me but not them."

"Ah yes, a father's devotion," Zommari said. "Do not worry, Isshin. Your daughters are only here to get them out of harm's way. Tyanna, take them to the holding cells in the station offices. You see, unlike you, I am merciful to the young."

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo asked.

"I am talking about what happened at the ten reservations that the Gotei established for Arrancars who wished to live in the Gensei Provinces."

"There weren't any such things," Ichigo said.

"How do you know about them?" Isshin asked. Ichigo looked at his father in surprise and saw that his face was pale. "No one was ever supposed to know of them or remember them outside of those involved. So, how do you know?"

"That's easy," Zommari said as he unbuttoned his shirt and bared his chest. His chest was covered in burn scars. "There were survivors."

_Karakura Town_

Ulquiorra and Orihime walked to the stables. He couldn't help but feel as though they were being watched by someone. However, when he looked around, he couldn't see anyone.

"Is something wrong?" Orihime asked.

"I do not know," Ulquiorra said. "I suggest that we…"

That was when the tall thin figure stepped out of the shadows of the stable.

"My, my, my, this is a treat. Miss Inoue, Mr. Schiffer, I've heard so much about you. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Shukuro Tsukishima."

_Visored "Warehouse"_

Kensei listened as Lilynette told him everything. He frowned.

_Shit,_ he thought, _Shinji would know what to do._

"Hachi, change of plans," he said.

"What do you mean?" Hachi asked.

"I want you to find any of the Gotei officers who are currently in Karakura Town and let them know about this. Lilynette, I would like for you to go with Mashiro and Yukio to the Sergio Leone Ranch. I want to get you out of Karakura Town right away."

"But what about Starrk?" Lilynette cried. "I'm not leaving without Starrk."

"Don't worry," Mashiro said. "He'll be heading there himself once he's finished with whatever he's doing."

"Yes, I'm sure he'll be fine," Kensei said remembering how Starrk handled himself in the bar in Junrinan and four months ago when the Espada first attacked. "Love, Rose, I want you and Riruka and Jackie to find the Kurosaki twins. However, keep away from the Pinkerton Agency. I have a feeling that they're not there."

"Why wouldn't they be there?" Love asked.

"I see. They might not have even been real agents," Rose said. "From what Lilynette told us, they said that Riruka sent them, but she didn't send anyone."

"That means we must have been followed when we dropped Lilynette off," Jackie said. "I should have paid more attention, but I thought that we were cleared of any involvement."

"Don't be ridiculous," Yukio said. "Tsukishima is no fool. He would make sure to tail anyone who is involved in any way with Kurosaki or Kugo or Shinji. That's the way he is."

"We miscalculated what Tsukishima is capable of," Giriko said. "It would appear as though Tsukishima has that rare talent of knowing what moves are going to be made long before a person makes them."

"Are you saying he's psychic?" Riruka asked.

"No," Giriko replied. "I'm merely saying that he is able to reach conclusions of how a person is going to move long before a person makes those moves. He has the gift of foresight."

_The Stables_

"How did you find me?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Oh, I just stayed two moves ahead of you," Tsukishima said. "It's like chess. The victor is the one who can think the most moves ahead of their opponent and that takes skill. Miss Inoue, I suggest that you get away from him. He's a very dangerous man."

"No he's not," Orihime said.

"You do realize that he was the one responsible not only for your brother's death or the death of the men your brother rode with under Captain Abarai. He's also responsible for the annihilation of the entire Quincy forces at Dagger Creek. He's partially responsible for the imposed exile of Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihoin to Karakura Town," Tsukishima said and smiled at her.

Orihime looked at him in defiance.

"You're lying," she said.

"Ah, my dear, the eyes of love so often times blind us to the truth. Based on your reaction when I mentioned your brother, I take it that he told you that he was responsible for your brother's death and you forgave him because you think he's not a killer. But he is. He is a killer. We both received the same type of training and we have killed without hesitation."

"Why are you here?" Ulquiorra asked.

"I'm here…to tie up a loose end," Tsukishima said.

Ulquiorra's eyes widened and he pushed Orihime to the ground just as Tsukishima rushed forward, his knife drawn. Tsukishima stopped and looked at Ulquiorra in surprise. His eyes blazed and he smiled.

"Very good," Tsukishima said. "You may very well provide me with a bit of exercise. But make no mistake, one way or another, both of you will be eliminated."

"Orihime run. Go someplace safe."

"What about you?"

"I can take care of this. I will make sure that he will not lay a hand on you. Now, go."

"Alright," Orihime said and ran off.

"How very admirable," Tsukishima said. "You must be her knight in shining armor. I guess that makes me the big bad dragon. But, here's the thing. Unlike the fairy tales, the dragon always wins in real life," Tsukishima said and rushed forward.

_Streets of Karakura Town_

The crowd danced in frenzy as the music quickened. The time was drawing near for the Burning Man Ceremony to commence. Torches were passed around and those that weren't lit were lit. The fireworks were beginning to come at an even faster pace. Guns were being fired into the air.

Ukitake and Unohana ignored the turmoil of celebration around them. They only saw each other. They only felt each other's presence. Their lips touched and Ukitake allowed his hand to caress her cheek. When they parted, Unohana was breathing heavily.

"Perhaps," she said. "We should go somewhere private."

"But, shouldn't we head to the meeting place?"

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Unohana said. "Besides, we may not get another chance."

Ukitake looked at her. A part of him felt uneasy, but it was small and he could only look at her. He smiled and nodded. Unohana smiled back and they kissed again before she began to drag him away from the crowds.

_Streets of Fort Seireitei_

Mordred Plateado watched as the celebrants began to light the torches. The time was drawing near. He looked over at his men who nodded. He began to look among the crowds and saw some were already putting on the white armbands to mark them as on Aizen's side. They had received instructions that anyone wearing a white armband or having a piece of white cloth tied around their right bicep were not to be killed.

He looked at his men and gestured to his right bicep. They nodded as they also brought out white strips of cloth and tied them around their arms.

"Alright," he said smiling. "Let's get started."

All over Fort Seireitei, small groups were passing out white armbands or white pieces of cloth and identifying themselves as Aizen supporters. The groups in turn went out carrying explosives with them. The explosives were placed at various points throughout Fort Seireitei. Some were placed in factories and others in shops. Some were put in the Academy dorms and others in the main Gotei barracks and offices.

When they completed their assigned tasks they waited.

_Outside the Pinkerton Offices_

"So, this is it?" Starrk asked as he looked at the brick building.

"This is it," Tatsuki said. "Keigo, Mizuiro, I need you to make sure that both the front and back entrances are clear."

"They probably are," Mizuiro said. "Everyone's probably at the dance by now until the moon reaches its zenith when they'll light the Burning Man."

"Just do it," Tatsuki said. "We can't take any chances." She looked back to where Starrk and the others were waiting. "I hope you're still up for this. We're about to walk into the lions' den and we may not be as fortunate as Daniel."

"I'll take a chance," Mila Rose said. "I don't know about these two," she said and gestured to Apacci and Sung-Sun who just glared at her.

"Don't start that bullshit again, Mila Rose," Apacci growled.

"I can start any bullshit I want," Mila Rose said.

"But you really need to restrain yourself on when you do it," Sung-Sun said.

"What did you say?" Mila Rose growled.

"That's enough you three," Harribel said. "If you don't stop arguing then we'll alert the enemy to our position. Do you want to do that?"

"No ma'am," Mila Rose said.

"You're right," Apacci said.

Sung-Sun only nodded in agreement and looked at the building ahead. They watched as Keigo and Mizuiro walked to the building as though it was any ordinary day. Keigo opened the front door and walked inside while Mizuiro walked towards the back.

"I hope that everything goes smoothly," Tatsuki said as she looked at her pocket watch.

_Streets of Karakura Town_

Ulquiorra did what he did best when fleeing from enemy pursuers. He stayed in the shadows. He listened and he kept his nose open. His eyes were sharp and keen. Overhead, the fireworks began to burst in larger numbers in an attempt to chase away the darkness. He could only hope that Orihime managed to get someplace safe.

_Is there any such place anymore?_

He shook the thought out of his mind. Such thinking would cause him to lose his focus and he needed to focus if he was to triumph over Tsukishima. From what he had seen, Tsukishima would be a tough opponent. Tsukishima was not only intelligent, but he was quick, agile, and silent. Those things made him deadly and made him the ideal partner for Aizen's schemes.

Ulquiorra stopped and listened. There was no sound of pursuit. Had he lost him? No, Tsukishima was somewhere close by. There was no mistaking it. Tsukishima like himself was a "Night Bringer" and in some ways Ulquiorra was afraid that he might even be better.

He made his way towards a side-street. If he could hurry then he might be able to get into one of the crowds of revelers. After all, where better to hide a tree than a forest? He stopped. If that was the case, then he should have kept on a main road, but the sight of the Pinkerton Agents in the crowd made him feel that no matter which way he chose, he would have wound up having to go into the more deserted streets.

"Damn, that is what he wants," Ulquiorra muttered. "He made sure that his people were in places that would force my path to match his."

"That's right," Tsukishima said from behind him.

Ulquiorra dodged before Tsukishima's knife could find its target. Tsukishima straightened and laughed softly. Ulquiorra's green eyes met Tsukishima's dark eyes and the two stared at each other.

"Didn't I tell you this was like a game of chess?" Tsukishima said.

"You did."

"And yet you made the moves that I wanted you to. I guess that means that I'm the better player. Yoruichi saw that about me while I was at the Academy."

"I figured that you trained with her. She did mention a pupil who recently left to train with the Pinkerton Agency. Are you that pupil?"

"I am," Tsukishima said. "The Pinkerton Agency taught me something that they never taught at the Gotei Academy for some reason. That is choosing your opponent's steps for them. That requires knowing your opponent. And that means asking a lot of questions about them. What kind of movements do they favor? How are they likely to handle a certain scenario? What is their overall psyche like? Are they one who tends to panic or do they remain calm? Are they creative or more calculating? Those kinds of questions are vital to understanding an opponent, and I did my research."

"I see," Ulquiorra said. "Then what kind of person am I?"

"You're the type who believes that they are cold and rational in the face of everything. Unfortunately, people like you tend to make mistakes. And you made one crucial error."

"What might that be?"

"LET ME GO!"

Ulquiorra's eyes widened and he saw Orihime struggling against the weasel-faced man.

"You told Orihime to go someplace safe. You thought she would understand what you meant, but she only understood what she knew as a safe place. She went back home."

"You…" Ulquiorra began and reached for his gun.

"Oh no, you don't," Tsukishima said as he raised his own revolver. However, he wasn't aiming his revolver at Ulquiorra. He was aiming it at Orihime. "If you make another move like that, then Orihime will die."

"You wouldn't," Ulquiorra said.

"Yes, I would," Tsukishima said. "Killing Orihime will make you angry and angry people make all kinds of mistakes. Right now, you still pose a threat to Aizen. But one way or another, I'm taking you off the board. That means that the only ones left who are still on it are Starrk and Harribel…and Uryu I suppose, but that leg of his…" he shook his head. "If it wasn't for his leg, then I would be paying a visit to Uryu as well."

"That is a mistake," Ulquiorra said.

"Maybe," Tsukishima said. "If he does become a nuisance, then I'll have someone take care of it. Now, let's get back to the business at hand." Tsukishima walked towards Ulquiorra, and Ulquiorra noticed that he wore gloves. He watched as Tsukishima reached for Ulquiorra's holster, but then he stopped. "If he tries anything, shoot the girl," he said to the weasel-faced man. "Had to make sure you understand what's at stake," he said and grabbed Ulquiorra's revolver. He looked at it.

"I can only imagine what tales this gun could tell," Tsukishima said. "You shot your mother and father with this, didn't you?"

"Yes," Ulquiorra said.

"You shot Sora Inoue with this, too?"

"Yes."

"Now then, what order should I do this?"

"Oh come on and just shoot them," the weasel-faced man said. "I want the metal that you promised me if I helped you."

"That's right, I did promise you metal," Tsukishima said. "Don't worry. You'll get it."

"That's good," the man said and began to laugh. "So which is it? Gold? Silver?"

"Lead," Tsukishima said and shot the weasel-faced man in the forehead.

Ulquiorra saw an opportunity and he tried to use it. However, Tsukishima was too fast for him. Tsukishima had his own revolver ready and used it to shoot Ulquiorra in the knee. He then raised Ulquiorra's revolver.

"ULQUIORRA!" Orihime cried out as she ran towards him.

"NO! ORIHIME!" Ulquiorra cried out, but it was too late.

Tsukishima pulled the triggers on both guns and fired at the same time. The bullet from Ulquiorra's gun struck Orihime in the chest while the bullet from his own gun struck Ulquiorra in the gut. The two fell to the ground and Tsukishima looked at them. He looked at Ulquiorra's revolver and walked towards Ulquiorra. He holstered his own gun as he squatted and moved Ulquiorra's right arm out a bit. After he made sure he got the angle the way he wanted, he placed the revolver under Ulquiorra's hand. He got up and kicked it to make it look the way he wanted it to.

"Oh dear," he said, smiling. "What am I to do? I was too late to save poor, poor Orihime and my informant who was trying to keep her safe. But, at least I got Ulquiorra," he said and looked down. "That shot won't kill you for a while. I'll just take my time to get help, but with the celebrations…" he shrugged. "Aizen won't have to worry about you anymore, Ulquiorra," he said and walked away.

Ulquiorra remained motionless and then he struggled to get up. But the pain in his gut was unbearable. He looked to where Orihime laid.

"No," he whispered. "No…no…"

He tried to make his way to Orihime the best way he could. One hand gripped his stomach, trying to slow the flow of blood while he pulled himself towards her with the other. As he got closer, he saw that she was still alive, but only barely. He fought against the black blossoms that were blooming in his sight. He knew that he would black out soon, but he wanted to do this much at least. If he was going to die, then he would die with the one he loved. He reached out to her and he could see her trying to reach out for him. Their fingers touched briefly.

"Orihime," Ulquiorra whispered.

_Outside Pinkerton Offices_

Kensei watched the doors leading in through the back. So far no one had gone in or out since Mizuiro went inside. However, he was not going to just charge in with guns blazing. He looked at his pocket watch. It had been thirty minutes since Lisa went in and it was a simple matter of waiting for the signal that everything was clear.

"How much longer are we gonna have to wait?" Hiyori asked.

"We wait for as long as we must," Giriko said.

"There," Kensei said and saw Lisa looking out at them and giving them the signal. "Come on, let's go."

The group sent to break out Kugo and Shinji rushed toward the back door and made their way inside.

At the front of the building Tatsuki saw Keigo and Mizuiro give the all clear signal. She knew that agents would be inside, they almost always were, but none of them were keeping watch. She looked at Starrk and Harribel.

"Alright, this is what we're going to do. You two do whatever you have to and the rest of us will keep an eye on things. Do you know where you're going?"

"Can you take us to Tsukishima's office?" Starrk asked.

"Not a problem. I'll make sure that Keigo and Mizuiro patrol that hallway. You three...uh…" she began and trailed off when she noticed the glares the three Diamond Sisters gave her.

"We know," Sung-Sun said.

"Yeah, we ain't stupid," Apacci said.

"I wouldn't say that about you," Mila Rose said.

"What did you say?"

"What are you, deaf? I said that you're stupid, Stupid," Mila Rose said.

"Why you…"

"Would you two please shut up?" Sung-Sun asked. "Look, we know that we're to keep an eye on things and to alert the others if any Pinkerton agent who isn't either you or Keigo or Mizuiro spots us."

"Yeah," Tatsuki said and sighed. "You got it. Now, let's do this."

_Fort Seireitei_

"Nobody knows, the trouble I've seen," Gantenbainne sang. "Nobody knows, but Jesus…"

"That's very nice," Dordoni said as he lay back on his cot. "Don't you think Gantenbainne has a nice voice, Cirucci?"

"Why are you asking me for?"

"Well, I sure as Hell ain't The Soggy Bottom Boys," Gantenbainne said and then began to sing "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow".

"I don't know," Dordoni said. "Hey, when this is over we should start our own band. I could play guitar."

"I don't think so," Cirucci said. "I mean, what the Hell would we call ourselves?"

"The Privaron Espada," Dordoni suggested. "I mean, fighting was never really my favorite thing to do. But, put a guitar in my hands and…WHIRL GIRALDA...watch out."

"You're so full of it," Cirucci said.

At that moment the door to the cells opened. They saw two of the female mercenaries coming their way. One of them carried the keys to the cells while the other gestured for the group of men behind them to put the long crates they were carrying to the side.

"It's time," the mercenary said and put the key into the lock.

"Already?" Cirucci asked.

"That's the order I got. Aizen wants you three to help us secure the Senkaimon station. The Plateado brothers will take care of securing Fort Seireitei while Aizen and his group will deal with the Gotei here."

"Well, so long as we don't have to kill needlessly, I'm good," Gantenbainne said. "Do you have our weapons?"

"Sure do," the other woman said as she approached and handed them their gun belts and revolvers. "Now, let's get this show on the fucking road."

_Karakura River_

Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya watched as the torches made their way to where the Wicker Man stood in the clearing across the river from where he sat. He heard footsteps approaching and looked up to see Byakuya standing over him.

"Were you able to get into contact with Lieutenant Hinamori?" Byakuya asked.

"No, but she's probably helping Captain Aizen with overseeing the troops," Toshiro said and sighed. "Why do they still do it when not all of the Captains will be present?"

"It's just to show off," Byakuya said. "The Gotei's tradition of parading the army around during Día de los Muertos before the Burning Man Ceremony is somewhat of a must. The only officer who has to be present for it is the General."

"It's a silly tradition."

"And yet it's tradition." Byakuya paused as he looked out over the river. He sighed. "I'm worried. Rukia and Renji should have been finished by now. Yet, I haven't received word on them."

"I bet they're alright. They probably went to the meeting place."

Byakuya sighed and hoped that Toshiro was right.

_Senkaimon Goods Station_

"Wakey, wakey, Little Bunny Kuchiki," Dorian said and snickered.

Rukia opened her eyes and looked at him. Hatred filled her as she looked at him. Dorian looked at her and his face faltered a little before his grin became even wider.

"Aw, look at that," he said. "Little Bunny Kuchiki is so cute when she's angry. Now get up you slut," he said and pulled her up.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" Renji yelled.

"SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH, DOG," Dorian shouted.

"What's all of the commotion?" Tyanna asked as she entered with Yuzu and Karin.

"Rukia…Renji…what are you doing here?" Yuzu asked.

Rukia didn't know how to answer. Renji looked shocked at seeing Ichigo's younger sisters here.

"What are you going to do with them?" Rukia asked.

"Aw, so cute…so adorable," Dorian said and grinned. "Can I have a little taste?"

"You have your own orders to carry out, scum," Tyanna said and grimaced. "I would advise that you carry them out. My orders are to make sure that these two are kept safe for the time being. Your orders are to march the prisoners to the yard."

"Fine, fine, but you don't have to be a bitch about it," Dorian said. "Let's go Little Bunny and you too, Pineapple. We're gonna have fun tonight."

_Pinkerton Agency_

Starrk and Harribel made their way down the hall. There were some noises of celebrations coming from some of the rooms. They were probably those on night duty having a few celebratory drinks. Tatsuki led the way for them. They were careful not to make their footsteps echo on the marble floor.

"We're here," Tatsuki said and gestured to the door. "I'll help the others keep an eye out for any agents," she said. "Oh, if it's locked, he keeps a spare key on top of the doorpost. Just reach up and it should be there."

"Thanks," Harribel said.

When Tatsuki was gone, Starrk looked over at Harribel.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"It could be rigged," she said. "But for some reason I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Well, I don't really know. Just call it 'instinct,'" she said.

Starrk shrugged and tried the door. It was unlocked. He didn't like that. Something wasn't quite right or maybe Tsukishima didn't think he needed to lock his door. Then again, maybe Tsukishima wanted them to find something for some reason. Starrk sighed as he opened the door and they went inside.

_Karakura Town, Four Months Before_

_Renji made his way down the street, Rukia right beside him. The Espadas were driven back thanks to Aizen, Gin and Kaname. He watched as the smoke began to be swept away by the wind._

_"So, we've survived," he said._

_"That's what it looks like," Rukia said._

_Renji looked over at her and smiled._

_"I was surprised that you were able to fight. I mean, after what happened at Las Noches."_

_"Orihime fixed me up real good. I only needed about three days in bed to recover. Looks like I made a full recovery just in time."_

_"Yeah," Renji said. "I heard they're going to hold a feast in Aizen's honor. Are you going?"_

_"No, not really," Rukia said. "Are you?"_

_"I don't know," Renji said and rubbed his head. "Rukia, I…uh…there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a while."_

_"Oh, and what's that?" she asked._

_"Well…it's…uh…"_

_"HEY RENJI, RUKIA, I'VE FINALLY FOUND YOU!" Ichigo called out as he ran towards them._

_"Hey Ichigo," Rukia said. "So, what did you want to tell me?"_

_"Uh…good work," Renji said as Ichigo caught up to them._

_Senkaimon Good's Station_

"Come along now," Dorian said as he and two of the agents pushed Rukia and Renji forward.

"What's this all about?" Renji asked.

"You'll see," one of the agents said. "MASTER ZOMMARI, MASTER AARONIERO, WE HAVE THEM," he cried out.

They rounded the building and into the store yard. Planks of wood were piled up to one side of the building with a pile of bricks. Old rail cars sat empty. Piles of stone and gravel were everywhere and weeds grew tall. In the center of the flat area they saw Ichigo and Isshin kneeling.

"Excellent," Zommari said. "Bring the girl over here. Put the other next to the other prisoners. Aaroniero, she's yours to keep a hold of."

"Good," Aaroniero rasped. He grabbed hold of Rukia and pulled her against him. Rukia wanted to scream, but the cold metal of a revolver's muzzle pressed against her temple. "Now, now Little Rabbit don't make a noise. I want you to watch this."

Rukia watched as Renji was forced to his knees next to Ichigo.

"Bring the father here," he said.

One of the agents grabbed hold of Isshin and dragged him to his feet. He pushed him over to Zommari who took out his revolver. Zommari nodded and the agent kicked Isshin in the back of his leg. Isshin went down and the agent struck him in the back of the head with the butt of his riffle.

"Isshin Kurosaki, you are accused of the murder of the men, women, and children of Río Tranquilo. How do you plead?" Zommari asked.

"I was following orders," he said.

"ORDERS?" the agent said. "YOU WERE FOLLOWING ORDERS? My little sister died that day you monster. Please Zommari," he said and aimed his rifle at the back of Isshin's head. "Let me execute him here and now."

"He must stand trial," Zommari said.

"Why?" Aaroniero rasped. "We know he's guilty."

"Yes, but his son does not know that. He believes that this is something made up by Arrancars in order to justify any actions they take against the Gensei Provinces. Now, Isshin, I want to hear your confession. Confession is good for the soul and the Truth will set you free from the guilt of your past. Now tell me, are you or are you not guilty of the slaughter of innocent men, women, and children in Río Tranquilo?"

"I am guilty," Isshin said. "I am also guilty of the murder of Fisher Grand who killed my wife and Ichigo's mother."

"In that regard, you were justified for his murder," Zommari said. "However, the murder of innocent men, women, and children in one of the ten reserves established for Arrancars twenty-five years ago is not."

"I was given orders by my commanding officer," Isshin said. "I carried them out."

"AND YOU RELISHED IT! YOU WERE ALL LAUGHING AS YOU TIED CHILDREN TO THE ROPES HANGING OVER WELLS. YOU PLACED BETS TO SEE HOW LONG THEY WOULD LAST BEFORE THEY DIED! YOU RAPED OUR MOTHERS AND OUR SISTERS! YOU BEAT OLD MEN INTO THE DUST WITH YOUR BOOTS!" the agent shouted.

"I did not take part in any of that," Isshin said.

"But you stood by and watched," Zommari said. "You did nothing and your father was in charge. Therefore, you are just as guilty of those crimes."

Isshin lowered his head and looked at Ichigo. Ichigo could not believe what he was hearing. He was always taught that the Gotei was never wrong and that the Arrancars were nothing more than monsters. But now, he was finding out that everything he was taught about what it meant to be one of the 'Good Guys' was a lie. He was beginning to see the truth that there are no "Good Guys" and "Bad Guys" in the way he understood it. There were only monsters.

"Don't hate me," Isshin whispered to his son.

"He has every right to hate you," the agent snarled as he lowered his weapon. "You were one of those monsters that forced me to watch as they beat my sisters in every possible way they could and then they dragged her to a tree and hanged her. The only reason why I'm alive today is because one of them hit me over the head with a brick and left me for dead. But I'm not going to make that mistake."

"NO!" Ichigo yelled.

The agent raised his rifle and shot Isshin in the back. Ichigo watched in shock and horror as his father fell forward. He hoped that this was nothing but a dream. He was unable to

"When you fight monsters," Zommari said. "You become a monster as well. Aizen is willing to be our savior and end the cycle once and for all."

_Fort Seireitei_

Aizen watched as the last of the Gotei soldiers entered the stadium grounds. The Bala-Class Shooters on their carts gleamed in the firelight that lit the grounds. He looked over at the men close to the Shooters and saw that some of them wore the white armbands he had his men wear.

"Isn't it exciting, Captain Aizen?" Momo asked. "The new Bala-Class Shooters are said to be even better than the old ones since they're not as likely to jam."

"Yes," Aizen said and smiled.

So far, only Fort Seireitei had any of the newer models for the Shooters while the Arrancar Army had those that dated back as far as 45 or even 50 years and tended to either go off target while firing or jam and were extremely heavy and had to be carried on carts. The newer models, however, were lighter, weighing only thirty pounds as opposed to seventy-five. They also had sturdier platforms that wouldn't fall apart. The newer Bala-Class Shooters were an advantage he wanted to get and now he knew he would get them.

"Oh, it looks like it's about to start," Momo said as the trumpets began to blare and the drums began to beat.

"Oh yes," Aizen said and smiled as General Yamamoto rose.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," he began. "Citizens of the Gensei Provinces, I welcome you to tonight's Burning Man Ceremony. This year has been a year of trial and hardship. I wish for a moment of silence for the servants of Central 46 who were brutally murdered. It has come to my attention that the Arrancars known as Coyote Starrk and Tia Harribel were declared to be Enemies of the State by Central 46 and will have no place to run should they escape."

Aizen smiled a little bit. Central 46 issued no such orders of course, but it was a fall-back position to ensure that Starrk and Harribel would not be trusted if they escaped. As it turned out, Aizen's instincts were right. When he heard that the Arrancars escaped from prison, he was furious, but then he knew that his fall-back was a good idea.

"Let us all bow our heads in silence as we remember those who served the Gotei faithfully in Central 46."

The crowd fell silent. There were sounds of weeping and paying coming from the crowds. There were also mutters about how the Arrancars would pay. Aizen wanted to laugh. Tonight belonged to the Arrancars. They would finally get their victory against the Gotei.

"Now then, let us look ahead," Yamamoto said. "The time has come to look to the light of tomorrow as the spirits of our ancestors guide us. Let the Ceremony commence."

Those who were carrying torches made their way forward. The drums began to beat in a slow rhythm.

"Burn," Yamamoto said. "Burn. Burn. Burn. Burn…"

The chant was picked up and became louder. The torch bearers lit the smaller stuffed men around the larger Wicker Man in the middle. As the flames grew, the chant became louder until all of the torch bearers surrounded the Wicker Man.

"BURN" the crowds roared. The cry was picked up outside of the stadium by the crowds gathered in the streets. "BURN, BURN, BURN, BURN, BURN…"

Aizen reached for his revolver and turned to face Momo.

"Captain Aizen, what is it?" Momo asked.

"I'm sorry, Momo," he whispered and as the torches ignited the oil poured on the Wicker Man to create a roaring inferno, Aizen took out his revolver and shot Momo in the chest. Momo looked at Aizen, unable to comprehend what had just happened. "NOW!" Aizen roared.

The shouts of joy became screams of terror as the Bala-Class Shooters fired into the Gotei and then the crowds. Outside, explosions rang throughout Fort Seireitei. The city became one large inferno in a matter of minutes.

_Holding Cells, Pinkerton Offices_

Kugo sat on the bunk twiddling his thumbs.

"Well, this is a lovely way to spend our evening," Shinji said.

"I know. Shit, I don't even know why they even suspect me."

"Well, they did say that Ryo Utagawa's throat was slashed and his pet snake was cut in two. People know that you are really good with a blade and Tsukishima said he saw you running out of the alley," Shinji said. "Oh…and one of your revolvers was found at the Central 46 Rotunda."

"That's right," Kugo said and chuckled. "I guess that would make me kind of like the obvious villain in the matter. What about you?"

"Oh, I confirmed that I was with Ichigo and when they found evidence that Ichigo was Shadow Lurker, they took me into custody," Shinji said and yawned. "Essentially, we're both in here based on pure bull shit."

"Amen," Kugo said.

"HEY," the agent guarding them shouted. "KEEP IT DOWN!"

"Why?" Kugo said. "WE'RE BORED!"

"YEAH!" Shinji shouted. "You should at least let have some cards to play with."

"Oh yeah, and how do we know that you won't use 'em like that one guy did?"

"What guy?" Kugo asked.

"Your buddy from Kage no Tanken, the one who liked to use cards as weapons."

"Hmm, never met him," Kugo said. "What about you Shinji, do you know who he's talking about?"

"Nope," Shinji said.

The guard shook his head and went back to his desk. He picked up the paper he was reading when the door burst open. The three men looked at it. The guard stood up and made his way to the bottom of the stairs, his gun drawn.

"Who's there?" he asked.

In response, Lisa came leaping through the door. She struck the man square in the chest with one outstretched foot. Shinji and Kugo looked at her as she struck the man in the face with her other foot.

"Lisa, what are you doing here?" Shinji asked.

"What does it look like, idiot? I'm here to break you out."

_Tsukishima's Office_

"Man, this guy is a complete neat-freak," Harribel said.

"Yeah," Starrk said as he pulled open another cabinet drawer. "Hmm, there are a lot of files on known Arrancar outlaws. That's not surprising. Huh…he has one on you," he said and pulled it out.

"It's probably filled with things you already know about me," Harribel said as she took it from him. She opened it and took a quick glance. She closed the file and put it in her messenger bag. "I'll keep it. I hate the idea of someone knowing so much about me who I don't even know."

Starrk took out his own file and opened it. He looked at it and then gave it to Harribel.

"Take mine as well," he said. "I'll get the ones he has for the others. This guy…it's scary at how much info he has on me. Most of it…most of it I would rather forget."

"I know what you mean," Harribel said as she made her way to the desk. "The more I think about it, the more I think that he is the unknown conspirator."

"He is," Starrk said. "I never met the guy, but just from what I can see here, he's the type of guy Aizen would like to have with him. However, he's also the type of guy who likes to use people as if they were nothing more than pieces on a board."

"Well," Harribel said as she opened one of the drawers, "This guy likes to keep things organized. Huh..." she said as she opened another drawer.

"What is it?"

"This drawer," she said and pointed at the top drawer. "Look at it."

Starrk went over and looked at the drawer. He didn't see it at first, but then he saw that the shading didn't match. At the back the wood was light, but towards the front it was like a dark walnut shade. He looked at her and she looked at him. He reached inside and found what he was looking for.

"Well, how about that," he said and chuckled. "Mr. Tsukishima likes to read kid adventure stories I bet. Normally, you'd only find a false bottom in one of those things."

"Maybe that's why he did it. It's something that a child would do, and an adult would rarely think of such things."

Starrk nodded. He expected something like a wall safe since that was common and known, but a false bottom in a desk drawer was not what he expected. He pulled the silk ribbon a little and it was enough to free the false bottom. He looked inside and saw a thin stack of paper. At the very top was a list of names. He took it out and gave it to Harribel.

"Is this what I think it is?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said and grew pale as she looked at the names:

Ichigo Kurosaki (crossed out)

Isshin Kurosaki (crossed out)

Ryuken Ishida (crossed out)

Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto (crossed out)

Shinji Hirako (crossed out)

Kugo Ginjo (crossed out)

Coyote Starrk

Tia Harribel

Ulquiorra Schiffer

Szayel Aporro Granz

Yoruichi Shihoin

Kisuke Urahara (crossed out)

? (crossed out) Davis Murphy-Not a Potential Threat

Kaname Tosen (crossed out)

"It's a hit list," she said and handed the sheet of paper back to him. "What else is there?"

"There's another list in here," Starrk said. "It's…" he froze. "No, no this can't be."

"What is it?" Harribel asked and took the sheet from him. Her eyes widened as she read off the names on that list:

Río Tranquilo: Kurosaki- central

Campos Alegre: Iustitia: suicide (crossed out)-Brother in C46 present (crossed out)

Nuevo Sueño: Abarai: k. in ambush (crossed out)

Verde Llanuras: Hitsugaya d. of natural causes (crossed out)

Río Alegría: Sade (crossed out)

Nuevo Amanecer: Kuchiki- central

Campo de Oro: Ishida: k. at Dagger Creek (crossed out)

Corazón Reparado: destroyed by the Knights of Purity-forerunners to Kage no Tanken (crossed out)

Bosque de Gamuza: destroyed by the Knights of Purity (crossed out)

Esperanza: Yamamoto- central

"Starrk, these towns," Harribel said as tears came into her eyes.

"This is what it's about," he whispered. "These towns were the ten reserves established by the Gotei for those Arrancars who wished to live in the Gensei Provinces. I think I see what this is about," he said as he folded the pieces of paper. "This is to avenge the Betrayal."

"But, Aizen wasn't an Arrancar," Harribel said and then her eyes widened. "Unless…"

"I don't know," Starrk said.

They looked at each other when they heard gunshots being fired. There was yelling in the hall and they could hear footsteps. They could make out something about a breakout, but hardly anything else. However, the footsteps were running past them. They looked at each other and then at the window. They went over to it and saw the emergency escape. They looked at each other.

"We better get out before someone decides to check in," Starrk said.

Harribel nodded as Starrk opened the window. They climbed out and Harribel hoped that the others would be alright. She hoped they didn't get stuck in the middle of the stampede of Pinkerton Agents running through the building.

_Pinkerton Offices Holding Cells_

"What the fuck?" Kugo asked as they heard a gunshot.

"Shit," Lisa said. "We don't have much time. All of the agents will be scrambling to respond and someone will come here to make sure you haven't escaped."

"Yeah, but, what the Hell happened?" Shinji asked.

_Hallway in Pinkerton Offices_

There are things that one can say is governed by fate or bad luck or plain stupidity. The gunshot that alerted all of the Pinkerton agents was one of these things.

Hiyori grew impatient of waiting outside. So, she went inside. This turned out to be a good thing and a bad thing. As she walked in, she saw one of the Pinkerton agents making their way to the cells. However, when he saw her, he stopped.

"Hey…hey you, you're not supposed to be here," he said and began to pull out his revolver.

Hiyori, who was never one to think things through before acting pulled out her own revolver and fired. Unfortunately the bullet went wild and the man began to run away from her.

"INTRUDERS! THEY'RE BREAKING THE PRISONERS OUT!" he shouted.

"Oh shit," Hiyori muttered.

_Senkaimon Goods Station_

Ichigo watched in horror as the corpse of his father was dragged away. Zommari looked at Renji and Ichigo. He looked over at Rukia and pulled out a small, thin case from his jacket pocket.

"You bastard," Renji muttered. "HOW COULD YOU?" he shouted at the agent.

"He deserved it," the agent muttered as he walked away.

"Tch…he doesn't even want to stay for the main event," Dorian said and smiled as he aimed his revolver at Rukia.

"Master Zommari, can we play the little game now?" he asked. "I think you will be very pleased with it, Aaroniero."

Zommari looked at him and then nodded.

"Very well, Dorian," Zommari said. He looked at Rukia and smiled. "My dear, life is made of choices. Your friends' fathers both chose to participate in acts of cruelty against Arrancars whose only sin was thinking they could trust the Gotei. Likewise, I chose to follow Aizen since I believe that his path is the path to salvation for the Arrancar people as a whole. Now, I wonder if you can answer me this. What is the most difficult thing to choose?"

"I…I don't know," Rukia said.

"Come now, my dear," Aaroniero rasped as he stroked her cheek. "You know the answer. It's when you have two lives in your hand and you can only save one of them."

Rukia's eyes widened as she looked over at Renji and Ichigo. Dorian began to laugh as he began to tick his revolver back-and-forth.

"That's right," Dorian said. "Now, you've been with Renji and Ichigo a long, _long_ time. Isn't that right? Well, I think that a little love triangle might have developed between the three of you. That may pose a problem for you, but the best way to solve that is…to remove one of the sides. Now, your side is out, but these two…"

Rukia's face became pale as she fully understood what was being asked of her.

"There are two here," Zommari said. "Both of them are very close to you and you think of them fondly. Now, you must answer this single question. Who do you want to live?"

_Pinkerton Agency_

"That's not good," Sung-Sun said as they heard the gunshot followed by someone screaming about a break out.

"Way to point out the obvious," Mila Rose said.

"Here they come," Apacci said as she drew her own revolver.

Mila Rose drew out her revolver while Sung-Sun only pulled out a small stick of dynamite and her lighter. They saw a group of agents rushing down the hall when one of them stopped and pointed.

"INTRUDERS!" he shouted.

"WAY TO STATE THE OBVIOUS, DUMBASS!" Apacci called out and raised her revolver.

However, before she could fire, Sung-Sun stepped in the way.

"I would suggest that you cover your ears," she said as she lit the fuse and threw the dynamite.

_Fort Seireitei, Six Years Before_

_Renji walked into his father's office._

_"You wished to see me?"_

_"I did," he said. "Please, have a seat, Renji," Carson Abarai said and gestured to the seat across from him._

_"Did I do something wrong?" Renji asked._

_"No, not at all," Carson said as he sat down. "Renji, I've noticed that you've been spending a lot of time around Rukia Kuchiki."_

_"Well, why shouldn't we? We've been friends since we were kids."_

_"Oh…and are you still 'just friends'?"_

_"Well..."_

_"Have you told her about how you feel?"_

_"WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME THIS?"_

_"It's because I'm your father and I was your age once. I fell in love with a girl and do you know what I did?"_

_"You…told her?"_

_"I chickened out. I was too scared to tell her. Then I met your mother and I knew that this was someone I didn't want to get away and yet I almost chickened out again. Then my dad told me, 'Son, if there's one thing I want you to know is this: Don't have any regrets. And son, if you don't tell this girl that you love her, then you'll regret it.' So, I went up to her and I told her. It was the most difficult thing I had to do since…well never mind that. Anyways, it was the most difficult thing I ever did and I never regretted it. Son, just tell Rukia that you love her and let the chips fall where they may."_

_Senkaimon Goods Station_

"Who do you want to live?" Zommari asked.

Renji looked at Rukia who looked as though she wanted to die right then and there instead of causing either Renji or Ichigo to lose their lives.

"Tick-tock, sweet Little Bunny," Dorian said. "You're starting to get late for that very important date. Either you choose one, or they both die. Now, who do you want me to spare and who do you want me to kill?"

"I…I can't," Rukia said. "I can't decide."

"You better," Zommari said. "However, I understand. When the lives of two people you care about are in your hands and you can only save one…"

"I just…I just can't," Rukia said. "Please, kill me instead. Kill me and let them go."

"Ain't gonna happen," Dorian said.

"That's right," Aaroniero rasped. "Aizen has other plans for you. Now, choose."

"How do I know? How do I know that you won't just kill the one I want you to spare?"

"You don't" Dorian said. "But that's the risk you're going to have to take. Now, you must choose before both die."

Rukia looked at Ichigo and Renji. She didn't know what to do. The lives of the two who were closest to her were in her hands. She could not see a way to save them both. She closed her eyes. Her friendship with Renji meant so much to her and yet Ichigo meant so much to her as well. She looked at Renji who was looking at her and he nodded and shifted his eyes towards Ichigo. She knew that he was right and yet she knew what this would do to Ichigo.

"I…I choose…"

"Go on and say either of their names," Aaroniero whispered.

"I choose…oh God…I choose Ichigo," she said and lowered her head.

"There we go," Dorian said.

Renji closed his eyes. He knew that he should say what he always wanted to say. But would it be fair to do it now?

"Wait," Rukia said.

"Oh…changed your mind?" Aaroniero asked.

"Renji, what was it you've always wanted to tell me?" she asked.

"Rukia," Renji said.

"Just tell me now," she said as the tears began to fall.

"Rukia, I love…"

"Too late," Dorian said as he pulled the trigger.

Ichigo and Rukia watched as Renji's body fell forward. Their eyes widened. Neither could breathe and then Rukia began to wail as the anguish overwhelmed her.

"R-R-RENJIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" she yelled.

_Fort Seireitei, Four Years Before_

_"Well, we did it," Ichigo said._

_"Yeah, we finally graduated," Rukia said. "So what should we do now?"_

_"Well, for starters, let's get some ice cream," Renji said._

_"That sounds great," Ichigo said. "I'm buying."_

_"No you don't," Rukia said. "I'm buying."_

_"Well, that's not right," Renji said. "A girl paying for a guy is kind of…wrong."_

_"Stop it, Renji," Ichigo said. "If we're going to just stand here arguing about who's paying, then we won't get anything done."_

_"Fine, what do you suggest, oh Fearless Leader?" Rukia asked, smiling at him._

_"Renji and I will split the cost for your order," Ichigo said. "There, that settles it."_

_Rukia looked at Ichigo and then began to laugh. Ichigo and Renji looked at her in surprise and then they also burst out laughing._

_"Promise me," Rukia said. "Promise me that no matter what happens, we'll always be together."_

_"No problem," Ichigo said. "We're a team, right?"_

_"That's right," Renji said. "We're a team and we'll always be a team."_

_"Good," Rukia said. "Now come on," she said and held out her hands to Ichigo and Rukia. "Let's get some ice cream."_

_Ichigo and Renji looked at each other and then grabbed her hands. Together, hand-in-hand, they raced down the street of Fort Seireitei._

_Senkaimon Goods Station_

"Renji," Ichigo whispered and closed his eyes. "This is my fault," he whispered. "I had a chance to…to stop this and…and I didn't. I didn't listen because…because I…I couldn't and now…"

"Enough of your whimpering," Dorian said and kicked Ichigo in the back. "What do you want to do with this one? Should we kill him anyways?"

"No," Zommari said. "That won't be necessary," he said and opened the thin case.

He brought out a syringe and a small bottle of a clear liquid that had the label of something like a sun. He unscrewed the top of the bottle and then screwed one of the needles onto the top of the syringe. He inserted the needle into a small hole in to top filled the syringe's chamber with the liquid.

"What is that?" Rukia asked.

"This…is the latest drug based on Brujería's properties. Lord Aizen wished for me to create a drug that would make whoever takes it eager to obey any command they receive. In essence, it works very much like hypnotism. It took a while, but this is the first batch of Brujería's most powerful drug, Euforia Absoluta. And you, are to be the first subject, Miss Kuchiki. It's such an honor."

"NO!" Ichigo yelled.

"You're not going to taint me," Rukia said as she tried to get as far away from the needle as she could. "I've heard about Brujería. I will not be tainted by it."

"There's the problem," Zommari said. "You will be forced to accept Euforia Absoluta. I have been given specific orders by Aizen. As soon as you accept this, you will no longer have a will of your own. You are ours to control. Now, accept my Euforia Absoluta."

"NO!" Rukia cried out as the needle pierced her skin.

_The Dream Wilderness_

_"BURN!" the dark figure that belonged to the man he had known as "Father" for the first few years of his life shouted. Ulquiorra saw other dark figures surrounding him. All that he could make out of them were their blood-red eyes and their brilliant white teeth. "That's all you bastards are good for: burning in Hell. When you're nice and crispy, we'll eat you. We'll eat you and leave you nothing but your eyes."_

_Ulquiorra became afraid. He did not want to be eaten. He did not want to become nothing. He found someone who, for the first time, he felt a desire to live for. But she was gone. He had failed to protect her._

_"You didn't fail."_

_"Mommy," he whispered and turned around._

_The dark figures behind him began to scream. However, Ulquiorra ignored their rage and their cries for him to put the mask back on. They wanted him to believe that the only way to protect himself was to put the mask over his heart again and to become one of them. However, Ulquiorra now knew that he didn't want the mask back on ever again._

_"You took the mask off," she said and smiled._

_"That's right," Antonin Schiffer said. "That mask was blinding you to your path," he said and held out his hands. In one was the revolver and in the other was the Heart Box with Orihime's picture smiling out at him. "So, have you decided?"_

_"I have, Daddy," Ulquiorra said, his voice sounding like that of a child's. He knew that if he looked into a pool he would see the face he had as a young boy staring back. "I know who I am now."_

_"And who are you?" his mother asked._

_"I was a scared little boy who had no real name. But now," he said, his voice becoming deeper. "Now, I am Ulquiorra Schiffer, and I have found my path," he said. "I choose the Heart."_

_"Good," Antonin said. "Now, you need to go back. She is still alive, but barely," he said and pointed to where he could see Orihime standing, looking around._

_"Go to her," Sora said as he placed a hand on Ulquiorra's shoulder. "I can't protect her anymore. You can."_

_"I understand," Ulquiorra said. "But," he said and looked at his mother and father, "I'm still afraid. What if I'm too late?"_

_"You won't," his mother said again. "The wolves are howling and the wolf, wolf cub, and doe are getting anxious. The storm draws near and you are all that stands in its way. Remember, we'll always be looking after you, my beautiful and handsome boy. Mommy will always love you."_

_Ulquiorra nodded and turned his back on the past and walked towards his future._

_Alley in Karakura Town_

His eyes opened and pain filled his body. He looked to where Orihime laid. She was still breathing, but her breath was raspy. He tried to move, but his body was stiff. He knew that he would have to fight through the pain if there was going to be any chance of saving her.

"I'm coming," he whispered. "I'm coming."

He pulled himself the rest of the way to Orihime. His body was yelling for him to stop and just lie down. However, he refused to listen to that desire. He was not going to die without trying to save her. He reached her and looked at the wound. He sighed in relief. Judging from where Tsukishima shot her, he had missed the heart and lungs, but the bullet was lodged in there and she was losing blood.

"Hang on," he whispered. "I…I…" he broke out into a coughing fit.

"ISAAC, I FOUND THEM!"

Ulquiorra looked up. His vision was beginning to blur again. He could not believe that out of all of the people to come to his rescue it would be the two oddballs who Orihime was letting stay at her place.

"Good work, Miria my dear," Isaac said. "Man, they look pretty bad. We should get them to the hospital."

"No…" Ulquiorra whispered. He knew that Tsukishima would be informed of any gunshot victims brought into a hospital. "Sergio Leone Ranch…Unohana…"

"Hmm, I think he's wanting us to take him to this Unohana person at the Sergio Leone Ranch," Miria said.

"I think you're absolutely right, Miria my dear," Isaac said. "Alright, let's take them to this Sergio Leone Ranch place. Uh…where is it?"

"Map…inner pocket," Ulquiorra said and gestured to his jacket. "Hurry," he whispered before darkness took him.

_Fort Seireitei_

General Yamamoto stood in horror as the Bala-Class Shooters were being used against his against his own men. The Wicker Man's blaze was nothing compared to the fires that were spreading throughout Fort Seireitei. Where there had once been music and laughter and celebration, there was now only gunfire, screams, and explosions.

"What is this?" he asked.

"This," Aizen said, "is the wrath of the Arrancars."

"Aizen, what have you done?"

"I'm fulfilling a promise, you old fool."

Aizen aimed his revolver at Yamamoto.

"Go ahead and pull the trigger," he said.

"I will. But first, old fool, I want you to see me. I want you to know who destroyed everything you spent so many years protecting and empowering." The fire roared around them. Aizen lowered his revolver and put his other hand on Yamamoto's cheek. Then they were looking into each other's eyes. "Do you see me now for who I really am?"

"Yamamoto looked and his eyes widened."

"Those eyes," he whispered.

"That's right," Aizen said. "The last time you truly looked into them you were standing over a ten-year old boy and calling him 'Filth'. Do you remember now, old fool?"

"No…no that's…it can't be."

"You led a force of thirty men into the small town of Esperanza. Do you remember now? Do you remember how they begged? We only wanted to live in peace amongst you. We wanted for the Arrancars and the Gensei to live in harmony. Yet, you wanted none of it. You and the butchers with you that Día de los Muertos so long ago thought you killed every last man, woman, and child, from the oldest man to the babe inside its mother's womb. But you were wrong. I survived. I survived, but she…the only family I had left…she…she…" Aizen began and shut his eyes. "YOU MURDERED THEM ALL YOU FUCKER! Now, I'm going to do the same. Every last man, woman, and child in Fort Seireitei will suffer. They will know what I felt. The helplessness, the loneliness, the pain of seeing all that you loved taken away from you."

"Why make them suffer? Why not let me be the only one to suffer? I'm the one who deserves it."

"That's where you're wrong. You were the finger they used to pull the trigger. No, the true killer was the Gensei Provinces with their poison. They told you that Arrancars were nothing more than degenerate animals that needed to be wiped out and you found a way to do it. The Gensei Provinces deceived us and I know exactly who were responsible. Your beloved Central 46 issued a proclamation that would permit a limited number of Arrancars to return to the Gensei Provinces and live in regulated settlement areas."

"Yes and the banks gave Arrancars who answered the summons enough money to get started," Yamamoto said. "And the Gotei offered protection."

"We wanted it to be true," Aizen said. "The Hueco Mundo Wastes were no place to live and so many answered the call. We thought that maybe the cycle of violence would finally end. We thought that if the main Arrancar gangs could see that they could have a future in the Gensei Provinces, then they would stop the violence. But we were wrong. What you did that day showed me that the only way for the cycle to end is to eliminate the Gotei and make the Gensei Provinces mine. I swore revenge against you and against the families of those men involved and now, here it is," Aizen said and gestured to the blazing fires around them and the corpses scattered on the ground. "HERE IS THE FRUIT OF THEY LABOR!"

Aizen put the barrel of the revolver against Yamamoto's head.

"Death," Yamamoto whispered. "You're right. It's what I deserve for what I did. Please, forgive me."

"No," Aizen said and pulled the trigger. With Yamamoto and most of the Gotei officers dead, the Gotei would fall. Aizen turned and looked at Momo's body. He made his way towards her and knelt. She was bleeding, but she was still alive. "Oh Momo, if you only knew why I chose you as my Lieutenant," he said. "I'm sorry."

_Pinkerton Offices_

"HOLY SHIT!" Apacci yelled as the explosion went off.

Sung-Sun got another stick of dynamite ready and touched the fuse to the flame of her lighter. She threw it in the opposite direction where another group of agents were rushing forward.

"Mila Rose, cover us," Sung-Sun said as she brought out her revolver.

"Who are you to give me orders, Sung-Sun?" Mila Rose growled.

"Just do as I say," she said. "We need to get to Lady Harribel and Starrk and then get out of here."

They ran. They could hear the agents trying to make their way through the smoke and rubble that Sung-Sun's explosion created. They turned a corner and saw Tatsuki running towards them. Her revolver was also drawn.

"What happened?"

"We got pinned down," Mila Rose said. "Where are Starrk and Harribel?"

"I don't know," Tatsuki said. "They should be…"

"TATSUKI!" Keigo screamed as he and Mizuiro rushed from another hall. "THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL US!"

"Who's…?" Tatsuki started to ask and then she saw the agents rushing towards them. "SHIT, HOW DID THEY FIND OUT?"

"WHO CARES?" Apacci screamed and began to open fire.

"Let me take care of this," Sung-Sun said as she lit another stick of dynamite and threw it at the agents.

The agents scattered just before the stick of dynamite exploded. The walls down the hall collapsed and the floor above caved in.

"JESUS CHRIST, SUNG-SUN," Mila Rose shouted. "DO YOU WANT TO KILL US?"

"Hmm, I guess that one was a bit more powerful than I thought," she mused.

"Stop using explosives and just shoot them," Mizuiro suggested.

"I know that," Sung-Sun snarled and Mizuiro blinked and sighed.

"COME ON," Tatsuki said. "We can still get out this way," she said and pointed down the hall next to them.

They ran as some of the agents rounded the corner. Ahead they could see a pair of doors that led to the stairwell. They burst through the doors and ran to the ground level. They raced out and looked back. Smoke plumed out of the building.

"Oh God, Harribel," Apacci said. "Please, please let her be safe."

"What are you talking about?" someone asked. "Of course I would be safe. I have Starrk with me."

"LADY HARRIBEL!" the Diamond Sisters shouted and surrounded her.

"What happened?" Tatsuki asked.

"I don't know," Starrk said. "But from what I could gather there was a breakout."

"Oh God," Tatsuki said. "That's right. Shinji and Kugo were being held here. I…I didn't think they would try the breakout tonight."

"So that would explain why we were caught unaware like that," Keigo said. "They thought that Mizuiro and I were a part of it as well and just went nuts trying to shoot us."

"HURRY, THEY'RE GETTING AWAY!" someone shouted.

"Shit," Tatsuki hissed. "GET TO THE HORSES!"

_Fort Seireitei_

Gantenbainne watched as the city burned. Explosions came from various points in the city. He could see civilians running to the barge docks in a desperate attempt to get away. Carts filled with people and their belongings were making their way out of the city. It was a mass exodus without a Moses to lead them.

"Holy shit," Cirucci said. "He…he's gone too far."

"I know," Dordoni said and leaned back. "Maybe we shouldn't have helped him. Maybe, we're responsible for this…this tragedy. We led him to Rudobon who in turn helped to influence the Plateado brothers to join him."

Gantenbainne sighed and looked away from the sight, but he could not un-see the devastation being caused and he could not shut out the screams. They heard someone walking towards them and saw Arturo walking towards them, his head lowered.

"Damn it," Arturo said. "I only wanted to destroy the Gotei. I thought I made it clear that we would only target the Gotei."

"What happened?" Dordoni asked.

Arturo only shook his head. He leaned against the station wall and pulled out his cigarette making kit. As he made himself a cigarette, he laughed.

"Aizen allowed his cronies to take whatever they wanted and kill whoever they wanted. It's complete anarchy out there. If you want to see what his end goal is for the Gensei Provinces, well…" he said as he licked the cigarette paper and finished rolling it. He stuck it into his mouth and lit a match using the heel of his boot. He lit the cigarette and inhaled and then he laughed again. "Well…HERE IT IS!" he shouted and gestured to the burning city. "He wants to turn all of the Gensei Provinces in a place covered in nothing but ashes and corpses. And we…we're all party to it now. We have to go with him. I watched as his men gunned down five of my own men who refused to go any further with him. He's making sure that we all go with him to the end."

"What?" Cirucci asked, stunned. "He…he's not letting anyone out?"

"That's right," Arturo said. "He's not letting anyone back out now."

_Rear of Pinkerton Agency_

"HURRY, THEY'RE GETTING AWAY!" someone shouted.

"Shit," Kensei said.

"RUN!" Kugo yelled.

The group ran to where Kensei harnessed the horses. The Pinkerton Agents were running towards them while others were going around the front. Kensei wondered why they would be doing that when he heard someone who sounded like Tatsuki yell, "GET TO THE HORSES!"

_Oh shit, they were here too,_ he thought.

"That's Miss Arisawa," Giriko said. "Do you think she changed sides?"

"Of course she didn't, Mr. Butler," Hiyori said. "I thought I saw Harribel, but I just shrugged it off. Shit, they were here."

"Never mind that," Shinji said. "LET'S RIDE!"

"Shit," Hiyori muttered. "Let's do this."

Shots rang out as they sped their horses away. They raced away from the Pinkerton Agency. None of them noticed the crouching figure on the rooftop.

"Oh no, you don't," Tsukishima whispered. He figured that someone would try to rescue the prisoners and he had an idea that they would try to escape by using the back alleys. He aimed his revolver at Shinji. He would make sure that at least either Shinji or Kugo would die tonight. He decided on Shinji just with the flip of a coin. "You're not going to get away."

However, as he was aiming his revolver, Hiyori happened to look up. She saw the figure aiming at Shinji. She got her horse to go faster.

"GET DOWN DUMBASS!" Hiyori cried as Tsukishima pulled the trigger.

Shinji turned to look at Hiyori as though she had gone insane and saw her arching backwards as the bullet struck. Her eyes went wide. Shinji looked up and saw Tsukishima looking at them, frowning.

"HIYORI!" Shinji cried out as he drew his revolver. He raced back and aimed at Tsukishima. "YOU BASTARD!" he roared as he fired, but the bullet hit nothing but air. Tsukishima had rushed away.

He turned his attention back to Hiyori. He jumped off his horse and rushed to where she laid. She was coughing up blood and her eyes were beginning to glaze over.

"Hiyori," he whispered. "Why? Why did you do something so stupid?"

"You're our boss," she said and coughed again. "G-g-get going before they catch up."

"Not without you. I'm leaving no one behind," he said and lifted her up. "Just hang in there and we'll get you some help."

"T-t-too late, Dumbass," she whispered.

"Don't you say that," he said as he rushed to his horse. "I'm not leaving anyone behind. I'm going to make sure that we all make it out of this alive."

_Streets of Karakura Town_

"Keigo, Mizuiro," Tatsuki said. "Go to the hospital and tell Kisuke and Yoruichi where we're going."

"Also, give him these," Starrk said and handed him the sheets of paper. "Tell them that Tsukishima is involved with Aizen."

"You got it," Mizuiro said.

They could hear the shouting coming closer.

"GO NOW!" Starrk shouted.

Keigo and Mizuiro turned their horses and raced in a different direction. Starrk turned to the others and nodded. They began their race out of Karakura Town. Behind them they could hear the thunder of hooves.

"THERE THEY ARE!" someone shouted.

"EVERYBODY KEEP DOWN AND RIDE HARD!" Starrk ordered as the gunshots began again.

They raced past a side street as Pinkerton agents tried to use it to cut them off. One of the men aimed his revolver and fired. However, the Arrancars escaped. The agent rushed to try to get off another shot but saw something wet on the ground. He knelt by the spot of wetness and lit a match. He smiled at what he saw.

"DAMN IT," one of the other agents said. "THEY GOT AWAY!"

"Yeah," the agent said as he shook the match out. "But one of them didn't get away unhurt."

_Naruki Hotel_

"Let's get her inside," Giriko said. "Put her on the table."

"What happened?" Riruka asked.

"Did you find the girls?" Kensei asked.

"No," Jackie said. "What's going on? Is someone hurt?"

"Jackie, Riruka," Kugo said. "Get the first aid kit, now."

"What happened?"

"Hiyori…it's Hiyori," Shinji said as he and Kugo put her down. "She…she…"

"She was shot when we were making our escape," Kugo said. He bent down and wiped Hiyori's forehead. "You're going to be alright. I promise we'll take good care of you."

Hiyori didn't say anything. She only coughed up more blood.

"Oh shit, she's losing a lot of blood," Lisa said. "HURRY UP!"

"Sh-Sh-Shinji," Hiyori said and beckoned for him to come closer.

Shinji leaned over.

"What is it?"

She slapped him as best she could across the face. Shinji put a hand to his face and kept her hand there.

"Why'd you do that for?" he asked.

"T-t-told you to leave me," she whispered. "I…I ain't gonna make it."

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course you'll make it."

"I won't," she whispered. She smiled as she saw Shinji's tears. "No…no…no tears," she said. "How many times I gotta tell you? Don't cry for me…Dumbass," she whispered and then her body went limp.

"Hiyori?" Shinji asked. "Hiyori, wake up. Wake up, Hiyori." However, Hiyori did not answer. "No," he gasped. "No…no, no, no, no, no…HIYORI!"

_Outside Karakura Town_

"WOO-HOO!" Apacci roared. "WE SHOWED THOSE PINKERTON BASTARDS NOT TO FUCK WITH US!"

They galloped as fast as they could. They would soon arrive at the Sergio Leone Ranch. Starrk hoped that Ulquiorra was already there as well as Rukia with Ichigo and Isshin in tow. He looked around and his eyes narrowed when he saw that there was something wrong.

"Mila Rose," Harribel said. "What's wrong? STARRK, SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH MILA ROSE!"

Starrk brought Okami to a stop. He looked at Mila Rose and saw that she was clutching her side. Apacci looked over at Mila Rose and her face fell.

"What's wrong Mila Rose? Does your tummy hurt?" Apacci asked and laughed. However, her laughter died when Mila Rose collapsed. "MILA ROSE!" Apacci screamed and she leapt off Cierva. "Hey…hey…this…this isn't funny."

"God…damn it…Apacci," Mila Rose moaned. "Would you please…shut up?"

"Harribel," Sung-Sun whispered and brought a hand to her mouth when she saw the gaping wound.

It was bad. Starrk noticed that the bleeding hadn't stopped and it didn't show any signs of stopping. He tried to think of when it could have happened and the only answer he could come up with was that it was one of the Pinkerton Agents. He looked over at Tatsuki who was rushing to her horse to retrieve the medical supplies.

"YOU DUMB BITCH!" Apacci roared. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US?"

"We…h-had to get away, didn't we?" Mila Rose asked. "I…I didn't w-want to be left behind."

"We wouldn't have left you behind," Apacci said. "You stupid, stupid, _stupid_ bitch, you should have told us. We…we could have done something."

Mila Rose looked at Apacci and shook her head. Apacci looked at the others and they could only look away.

"Y-you mean you…you can't…" she stammered as her eyes began to fill with tears. "FUCK YOU! FUCK ALL OF YOU! I WON'T LET YOU DIE, MILA ROSE! I WON'T LET YOU DIE! NOT AFTER ALL THIS WAY!"

Mila Rose looked up at her fellow Diamond Sister and smiled.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "It looks like…I won't be riding with you the rest of the way after all."

"Mila Rose, just hang in there," Harribel said as she knelt beside her and grabbed her hand. "You'll pull through. You're strong. You made it this far. We're almost there and Captain Unohana or Orihime will be there to help patch you up."

Mila Rose looked at Harribel and shook her head.

"I…I'm sorry Lady Harribel. I…I failed you."

"You didn't fail me," Harribel said, tears flowing from her cheeks. "How could someone like you possibly fail me? You're like a sister to me. I could never ask for a better sister than you."

Mila Rose looked at Apacci and began to cough up blood, but she still smiled.

"You see…I told you I was Harribel's favorite."

"Oh…oh shut up…shut up," Apacci said as she began to cry. "We both know I'm her favorite, you stupid bitch."

"Y-yeah right," she said. "B-but keep in mind. Y-you have a duty to protect Lady Harribel. If you fail, I'll haunt your ass."

"Yeah, and even as a ghost you won't be able to beat me," Apacci said and smiled.

"You wish," Mila Rose whispered.

"Ha, that's just like you. Always cracking jokes at such moments. Ain't that right Mila Rose? Mila Rose?" Apacci asked as she looked at her. "Mila Rose?" she asked again, giving her a small shake, but there was no response. "No, no, no, stay with me," Apacci said. "STAY WITH ME YOU STUPID BITCH!" she cried.

They watched as Apacci wept, cradling the body of one of the only true friends she had in the world.

_Gensei Provinces_

The word spread like wild fire. Where once long ago, beacons would have been used to spread the message, now the telegraph and phones carried the message along lengths of wire and through the air. When they heard it, people were shocked and then fear took hold. Some wept while others went on a rampage killing anyone they suspected of being traitors and others committed suicide or fled. While the reactions differed, the message was always the same:

Fort Seireitei had fallen.

_The fire dies leaving only ashes for the dawn to find._

**End of Chapter 13**

**A.N.: This chapter is the darkest chapter thus far in this story. So many things have happened in this chapter and so many deaths as well. The part of Renji's death has been in my head ever since I wrote Chapter 7 and was one of the parts I dreaded writing because of how I imagined it coming about (with Rukia being forced to either choose to save Ichigo or Renji). I imagined Isshin's death since writing Chapter 12 and while writing this chapter I imagined that he would be killed in an abrupt manner done out of vengeance, but then that brought about the question of vengance for what? That was when the idea of a Gotei attack on a settlement of Arrancars who wished to live in the Gensei Provinces came into mind. **

**The next chapter will deal with the aftermath of the Gotei's fall.**

**That's all for now. Thank you for reading and please review.**


	14. Chapter 14: Albores de las Cenizas

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 14: Albores de las Cenizas**

_Los Desamparados, Eight Years Before_

_The boy walked through the streets. The smell of death and decay filled the air alongside the smell of roasting meat and spices. The crowds concealed him as he made his way to one of the stalls where a scrawny man with blistering skin was selling a greasy combination of meat and peppers in crumbling tortillas. He looked around and waited for the man to be too busy to notice the premade wraps. When he saw his chance, he pounced._

_"HEY!" the man shouted as the boy grabbed one of the wraps._

_The boy ran away as fast he could. He saw that the man was chasing him and knew that he couldn't afford to slow down. Instead, he ran even faster and failed to notice the man in front of him. He ran head-on into the man and went flying backwards, the wrap falling out of his hand and spilling on the ground._

_"I GOTCHA NOW!" the stall-owner cried out. "THAT'S THE LAST TIME YA'LL EVER STEAL FROM ME!"_

_"What is the meaning of this?" the other man asked in a gruff voice._

_The boy looked up and saw a bulky old man with a scar running down the right-side of his face and another scar from the left corner of his mouth._

_"I'm sorry sir, but this fuckin' brat has been stealing from my stall."_

_"Only 'cause I'm hungry."_

_"Shut up," the stall-owner snarled and kicked the boy in the ribs._

_"That's enough. How long has he been doing this?"_

_"About…two days."_

_"More like five weeks before he began noticing," the boy said._

_"Is that so? I would advise that you don't lie to me. You do know who I am, don't you?"_

_The stall-owner glared at the older man and then his face paled. He backed away a couple of steps and then bowed._

_"Sir, I…I didn't recognize you. Please, sir, I'm just a humble shop owner who's trying to make a living and this boy has reduced my trade."_

_"By only three wraps a day," the boy grumbled._

_"So, he's taken three wraps a day from you and he's been getting away with it for five weeks before you noticed. And you've left your stall unattended just to chase after one boy while another ten are probably taking more of your trade. Pathetic."_

_The stall-keeper gulped and began to slink away._

_"I…I should be getting back," he moaned and rushed away._

_"Th-thank you, sir," the boy said._

_"Boy, you stole from him because you're hungry, right?"_

_The boy nodded and a large hand made its way towards him. He flinched, remembering the times he was beaten before he ran away. But instead of a blow, the hand only rubbed his head._

_"Come with me," the man said._

_"Uh…I'm…I'm sorry sir, but…I…I don't know who you are."_

_"You're an honest one. I'm Baraggan Luisenbarn, the King of the Wastes. What's your name?"_

_"It's Ggio Vega."_

_Sabaku Dessert_

Ggio awoke from the memory. It had been a long time since he thought about that day when he first met Baraggan. He yawned and saw that it was still dark, but the sounds in the camp made it seem as some great victory was won. Ggio got up and saw Avirama walking rushing towards him.

"What's going on?" Ggio asked.

"You don't know, Shrimp? We just got word over the field phone and from Aizen's scouts in the Gensei Provinces. Fort Seireitei has fallen."

"When did that happen?"

"Not too long ago. Lord Baraggan has just informed the prisoner."

"I see," Ggio said.

"Hey, are you okay? You look kind of down."

"I'm just…I'm just worried that the prisoner might try to do something before she can witness our ultimate triumph."

Avirama looked at Ggio and knew that he was lying. He sighed.

"Look, Ggio. I'm not going to tell Lord Baraggan about this. I've noticed that you really care about her. So, let me give you a bit of advice: go to her. She needs someone she feels comfortable around and that's you."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I don't really know," Avirama said and shrugged. "Oh…she's at the rock outcroppings over there," he said and pointed eastward. "You better make it quick. We're going to move out soon."

Ggio watched as Avirama walked away. He shook his head.

"He's crazy. Why should I care about what some Gotei officer thinks?"

_Who am I kidding? I do care. I just don't know what to do._

He sighed as he made his way to where Avirama pointed. He saw Sui-Feng sitting among the rocks, looking eastward. Her shoulders were slumped and he could tell that she was sobbing.

"Uh…are you…are you alright?"

_Idiot, of course she's not alright. Everything she knew is gone._

"Go away," Sui-Feng moaned. "Go away you bastard. I don't want to hear you bragging about how I was wrong. I…I don't…I don't want…"

"I'm sorry," Ggio said. "I…I'll leave you alone."

"W-w-wait. D-d-don't go, please," Sui-Feng said and grabbed his hand. "Please…I…I need…I need someone to…to…"

Sui-Feng broke down and began to cry. Ggio looked at her crying into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Alright, I'll stay," he said.

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

Hanataro paced on the porch, wringing his hands. The news that they got over the field phone couldn't be true. He just wouldn't allow it to be true. All of his life Fort Seireitei was a constant. He believed that it would always be there along with the Gotei. He had tried to reach the Captains, but none of them were responding.

So far the only others they were expecting to arrive were Mashiro and Yukio and Lilynette who told them what they knew. Lilynette seemed to know a great deal more about what was going on, but even she was not certain about why the Pinkerton Agency would send men to fetch Yuzu and Karin. Hanataro remembered feeling uneasy about it. And then the call came in that changed everything.

It was simply a man, sounding shocked and bewildered saying that Fort Seireitei had fallen and the Gotei was no more. There was silence for a brief moment and then came the gunshot. They knew that the messenger had killed himself while still on the line.

"What are we gonna do?" Kiyone asked from the shack behind him. "Captain Ukitake probably doesn't know what's going on. He'll be absolutely crushed when he finds out and I'm not there to comfort him."

"Hey, what makes you think you can comfort him?" Sentaro said. "I should be there to help him in these troubled times."

"And what comfort could you provide him? Your monkey breath will only scare him off."

"That's enough, you two," Nanao said. "Hanataro, do you see them yet?"

"Not yet," Hanataro said.

Hanataro kept his eyes on the dirt road in case anyone they were waiting for were coming, but so far there was no sign of any of them.

"This isn't good," Hanataro said. "What if something happened?"

"They'll be here soon," Nanao said.

However, she felt uneasy. She took out her pocket watch and opened it. Captain Kyoraku said that they would arrive sometime the next night but to expect the former Espada and the rest of the Xcution and Visored Squads soon. But the news that Fort Seireitei fell made her feel uneasy.

"Hey, I see someone," Hanataro said.

Nanao looked up and saw two figures approaching with a cart. She didn't know what to make of that and so made her way forward.

"Excuse me, but…who are you?"

"I'm Isaac."

"And I'm Miria."

"Are you by any chance Unohana? Our two buddies are kinda hurt and need to be looked after," Isaac said.

"What two buddies?" Nanao asked.

She made her way closer to the cart and looked at the two figures lying in it. Her mouth dropped open.

"HANATARO! GET OVER HERE! NOW!"

Hanataro rushed over. In the cart, Orihime and Ulquiorra were still struggling to stay alive.

_Naruki Hotel_

Kensei looked over to where Hiyori's body lay, covered with a table cloth. Shinji had not moved from her side since she died.

"We need to get moving," Kugo said.

"Yeah," Kensei said. "Shit, what am I going to tell Mashiro? She liked hanging out with Hiyori."

Giriko set a glass of whiskey down in front of Shinji, his face was downcast and his eye closed.

"Should we just drag Shinji out of here?" Kugo asked.

"No, let him mourn," Jackie said. "He feels responsible for her death. I'll ride to the Sergio Leone Ranch and let them know."

"I'll go with you," Kensei said. "I…I better tell Mashiro myself. God damn it. Why? Why did she have to die?"

"We all die," Kugo said. "Hiyori knew the risk she was taking and…" He sighed. "I don't know what to say. I'm not a fucking therapist. I'll stay here until Shinji's ready. The rest of you…do whatever."

"Is this how it ends, then?" Riruka asked. "Are you just…cutting us loose?"

"If you want to look at it that way, then I suppose I am," Kugo said.

"For shame, Kugo," Giriko said. "There is no way that we're just going to abandon our pledge like that. Jackie, you and Kensei should head over to the Sergio Leone Ranch and inform them of what happened as you originally intended. The rest of us will stay here and come up with some kind of strategy. We'll send word to Fort Seireitei if we need reinforcements."

"I'll head over to the telegraph office," Riruka said. "I'll send out the message to Fort Seireitei."

Kugo shook his head.

"That would be a bad idea. Tsukishima will probably have people watching the office for anyone from either of our Squads. However, they won't be looking for one of Urahara's assistants."

"Yes they will," Shinji said. "They'll look for anyone with any connections to those who are trying to stop Aizen."

"I see," Giriko said. "However, I shall inform Tessai of what happened and then I'll head out to the Ranch."

"Alright," Kugo said. When Giriko left he turned his attention to Shinji. "Are you alright?"

"No, I'm not," Shinji said as he put a hand on Hiyori's shrouded body. "However, I won't sit around and do nothing. Hiyori wouldn't have allowed me to. We're taking her with us. It might be the only time when we can give her a proper burial and she liked being out at that old place. It's why she suggested it. 'Our secret base,' she always called it. And I…I want to make sure that she didn't die in vain."

_Outside the Sergio Leone Ranch_

Starrk walked beside Harribel. He looked at Mila Rose's body, wrapped and bound in blankets and was hung across Leona's back, which was being led by a still weeping Apacci.

"They were close," Harribel whispered when she saw what Starrk was looking at. "Apacci was alone in the world until she met Mila Rose. Sung-Sun became part of their group not too long afterwards."

"Yeah," Starrk whispered. "Do you think she'll be able to keep herself together when the time comes?"

"She will. She's a Diamond Sister and she won't back down," Harribel said. "I'm surprised you even asked."

"I just needed the reassurance," Starrk said. "We both hoped that we would all make it out alive, but…"

"Don't say it," Harribel said and grabbed his hand. "Don't even say it."

"Alright, I won't," Starrk said.

Ahead, they could see the outline of the front gateway for the Sergio Leone Ranch.

_Karakura Town_

"This…this is impossible," Akon muttered as he walked down the street with the message in his hand.

He did not hear the sound of the revelers still going at their celebrations, even though most of the others had returned to their homes. He felt like a man who had been hit on the head with a hammer and he walked like said man as well. He staggered in the street, his eyes blank.

"I…I need to find the…the Gotei officers," he muttered.

"Hey, look at him. Someone had too much to drink," someone said.

Akon looked at the man and shook his head.

"No…not drink…not drink…"

"Whatever you say," the man said and laughed.

Suddenly there was a cry from one of the houses and a woman rushed out.

"OH MY GOD!" she cried. "OH MY GOD! FORT SEIREITEI HAS FALLEN! FORT SEIREITEI HAS FALLEN!"

The people nearby looked at her as if she had gone insane. Akon, however, went pale. The news was already out and soon the word would spread in Karakura Town.

"What's this bullshit?" someone asked.

"Oh God," the woman moaned. "I just got a call from my sister who lives across the river from Fort Seireitei. She…she says…gunfire and explosions and…people running and screaming…and…and…"

Before she could say another word, the woman fainted. The people who were there looked at each other.

"She…she must be crazy," someone said.

Some of the others began to rush to any location that had a phone. Akon knew it would only be a matter of time before they went to the telegraph office for verification and poor Rin was most likely huddled in a corner, sobbing. Akon looked at them and then he heard other people shouting out the same message throughout town. The cry went up and he knew that very soon the Gotei Captains and officers who were here would know.

So, he too took up the cry and held up the telegraph message he took with him.

"FORT SEIREITEI HAS FALLEN!" he cried out, his voice cracking. "FORT SEIREITEI HAS FALLEN! THE GOTEI IS NO MORE!"

_Pinkerton Agency_

Tsukishima stood in his office and smiled. Despite the slight mishap with both Kugo Ginjo and Shinji Hirako escaping, he knew that his own plans were on track. He turned to his desk and opened the top drawer. He frowned when he saw that the pieces of paper in the hidden compartment were missing. His eyes suddenly became wide.

"Shit," he whispered and closed his eyes.

_Karakura Hospital_

"What are they shouting?" Murphy Davis asked from his bed.

"That's…that's impossible," Yoruichi said, her face pale.

"Oh God, this is not good," Kisuke said. "We need to get out of here."

"I don't get it," Davis said. "Why?"

The door opened and they saw Tessai walking in with a nurse telling him that visiting hours were long past and for him to come back in the morning.

"Boss, I came here as soon as I heard," he said.

"Hold on," Kisuke said. "It's fine. I think there are more pressing things than visiting hours going on right now. I dare say you'll be very busy soon," he told the nurse.

The nurse looked at him and then heard the shouts coming from outside. She paled and she rushed out of the room.

"I dare say she'll be busy," Miles said. "Oh God, and with most of the bankers going under…forget about having the actual finances to support rebuilding."

"Where are Jinta and Ururu?" Kisuke asked.

"I sent them away," Tessai said. "They are currently heading to the…the location you told me to send them."

"Good," Kisuke said. "Yoruichi, would you please help Mr. Davis get up?"

"Yes Kisuke," Yoruichi said as she helped Miles get up on his feet. "What about Ryuken?"

"Tessai can see to him," Kisuke said as he got up and tested his legs. "Shit, I'll need my cane, but that bastard…"

"Don't worry boss, Chad is here to help as well and Uryu is waiting with the cart," Tessai said.

"Well, you're really on top of things."

"Of course we are," Tessai said. "Giriko informed me about what happened to Hiyori and I immediately gathered the rest of the troops."

"That's good," Kisuke said. "Now, we need to get out of here before someone decides to get us out of the way for good. As long as we're alive, we can still do something. Miles, I need to know something."

"What is it?"

"How good of a shot are you?"

"Well, when I was growing up my dad taught me hunting and sharp-shooting skills before he sent me off to learn to become a banker. I keep up with it from time-to-time, but…I haven't been able to lately."

"But at least you have some experience shooting a gun?" Yoruichi asked.

"Yeah. Wait, are you seriously suggesting that I…?"

"We need everyone who can shoot a gun," Tessai said. "The war is coming here next and we need to be prepared."

_Dream Wilderness_

_He was lost and afraid. Fire raged around him. He saw Starrk looking at him with sorrow and holding the corpse of the girl who travelled with him._

_"This is your fault," he said. "This is your fault."_

_"I didn't know," he moaned. "Please, I…I didn't know."_

_"You did," his father said. "You knew and you ignored the warnings because of your pride. Some sheriff you turned out to be. You're a disgrace. You allowed your own father to die. Now who will look after your sisters?"_

_"Dad, please," Ichigo cried out._

_"IT'S YOUR FAULT YOUR MOTHER DIED! IT'S YOUR FAULT THAT FORT SEIREITEI IS IN FLAMES! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"_

_"No, Fort Seireitei can't be in flames. It just can't be," Ichigo cried out._

_"Oh, but it is," Renji said, grinning at him._

_Ichigo turned and stood in horror as he saw that the front of Renji's forehead was a gaping hole and bits of blood, bone, and brain were still dribbling down his face._

_"It's your fault I'm dead. You could have stopped it, but you didn't. You're pathetic. You are so pathetic and worthless. You couldn't even save Rukia," he said and pointed._

_He turned and saw Rukia being supported by puppet strings. She had a revolver in her hand and with the motion of a string, held it to her head._

_"Why did you let this happen?" she whimpered before pulling the trigger._

_"NO! NO! I DIDN'T DO THIS!"_

_"Oh please," an all-too familiar grating voice said._

_Ichigo turned his head and terror filled him as he saw the monster that haunted his nightmares when he was a child. The monster looked like him, but was completely pale with albino white hair and black and yellow eyes. He stuck out his black tongue and licked his icy blue lips and laughed._

_"Did you think you could get rid of me? Don't be such an idiot. Of course you're to blame. You're to blame for all of it."_

_"MOMMY!" Ichigo shouted, his voice sounding the way it did when he was a small child. "MOMMY! HELP ME, MOMMY! HICHIGO SHIROSAKI IS BACK!"_

_"That's right. But Mommy ain't here to save you from Shirosaki because you got her killed. And Daddy ain't here either because you got him killed too. They hate you so they sent me to do what I always wanted to do. And this time…I'M GONNA EAT YA!"_

_"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"_

_Senkaimon Goods Station_

Ichigo woke up. Sweat covered his body and he looked around. He was not surprised to see that Dorian Semental was standing in front of the cell door, smiling.

"Good morning," he said. "Damn, you're sweating like a hog. And that whining noise you were making. You must have had one Hell of a dream. So, did you hear the news?"

"Where are Yuzu and Karin?" Ichigo asked.

"Tyanna moved them up in the office. She's got a soft spot for children and wished to protect them from knowing about what happened to dear old Daddy."

"You bastard, don't you dare talk about my father like that."

"Oh, I can talk about that dead meat bag anyway I please since he most certainly can't do a damn thing about it and you're such a pathetic piece of shit that I doubt you can do anything but bark. So, do you want to hear the news? Well, I don't really give a shit if you do or not so I'm gonna tell ya anyways. Fort Seireitei has fallen. The Gotei is no more. We won. Isn't that wonderful?"

"Fuck you, you lying sack of shit."

"Oh, but I'm not lying. I'm being completely honest. Fort Seireitei has fallen. But I understand your hesitation."

"Where's Rukia? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO RUKIA?"

"She's being…instructed," Dorian said and smiled at him. The scars on his face seemed to leer at him. Dorian frowned and traced the scars. "A gift from Coyote Starrk," he said. "He also took away my balls. Otherwise, I would probably join the others and…demand your little piece of ass to suck me off as well."

"YOU BASTARD!"

Dorian laughed at that and shook his head.

"Oh you should see how she is on Euforia Absoluta. She's such an obedient little bunny. I bet I can make her hop off a cliff if I wanted to or even cut off your fucking head and then cut your face off and wear it like a mask. Hmm, maybe I should ask her to do that. I just wish I had some of that when I met that Harribel slut. Maybe then I would still have my good looks and my balls. Oh well. Who knows? Maybe I can get my hands on some of that stuff and give to that little girl Starrk keeps with him."

Dorian laughed as he left the room. Ichigo felt as though he couldn't breathe and he sank to his knees.

"Rukia," he moaned and wept. "Oh God, Rukia, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, Renji. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

_Fort Seireitei_

Aizen sat beside the bed where Momo Hinamori was recovering from the shot he dealt her. He owed her that much at least. He remembered when he first saw her how naïve and innocent she was and so eager to please those above her. He knew that he could use someone like that for his purposes and had used her. However, another purpose for her came to him when she told him about her friendship with Captain Hitsugaya and so he made sure to shoot her in an area where he knew she wouldn't die.

However, he had grown to pity her, especially when he found out that she lost her own parents, but they were killed in an Arrancar raid. He realized that he tended to attach himself to orphans, perhaps because he was one of them. But he was not motivated by pity. Instead, he was motivated by revenge and a desire to reshape the world into a utopia for those who were outcasts or were betrayed by society.

Outside, the fires raged and the shots and screams continued. He watched as his men rushed into houses and businesses and took what they could. He saw them drag civilians who were trying to escape and beat them or push screaming women onto the ground to rape them. A part of him watched this in horror. It was too much like what he saw as a child and so he looked away. He looked at Momo's sleeping form and he gently stroked her forehead.

"I'm so sorry, Momo," he whispered. "But I need to use you for one last thing."

He reached into his pocket and took out the case with the syringe filled with Euforia Absoluta that Zommari gave him before he left his Arrancar Army to negotiate with Rudobon and the Plateado brothers. He reached for her arm and injected the drug into her. He could tell that it was working since Momo's face looked like the face of someone in a mindless state of ecstasy.

"Momo, it's me, Captain Aizen. Do you hear my voice?"

"Yes," she moaned.

"That's good. You've been a faithful Lieutenant to me and I have one final use for you. Now, listen very carefully to my instructions," he said and began to whisper in her ear.

_Hueco Mundo Wastes, Fourteen Years Before_

_The little girl was crying. The town she once knew as home was reduced to nothing but burning cinders and piles of rubble. She was alone. She was the only survivor in a Gotei raid in the never-ending cycle of violence._

_"Hey, what are you doing?" someone called out._

_She looked up and saw a girl, a couple of years older than her walk towards her. She became afraid when she saw the kitchen knife in her hand and she backed away._

_"Stay away," she whispered._

_"What? I can't hear you."_

_"Please, stay away," she moaned._

_"HA! That's rich. Do you know who I am? I am the Princess of Ruins and these ruins are now part of my domain."_

_"The…the Princess of Ruins?"_

_"That's right. And you are trespassing on my territory."_

_"No I'm not. This was my home. You don't have any right to be here."_

_"Is that so? Listen, kid…"_

_"WHO ARE YOU CALLING 'KID'?"_

_"You. Why, do you have a problem with that, Kid?"_

_"My name's Emilou."_

_"Emilou, what kind of name is that?" The older girl looked at the younger and saw the rage filling her mismatching eyes. "Well, I suppose since you told me your name. My name's Francesca."_

_"FRANCESCA? And you said my name was odd."_

_"WHAT WAS THAT?"_

_"Are you some kind of moron? I was simply saying your name was odd."_

_"Well, since we find each other's names odd, let's give each other new names. Hmm, what should I call you? I know…APACCI! That's a much cooler name than Emilou."_

_"Alright, and you can be Mila Rose, like the villain. She was the Queen of Ruined Villages."_

_"Not bad, Ki— I mean Apacci. Alright, I accept your choice of name. Now, how would you like to form a gang?"_

_"Ooh, a gang? What kind of gang?"_

_"The kind that will go around killing Gotei soldiers and robbing them of their money, duh," Mila Rose said. "Now, each gang needs to have something to show who they belong too. Now let's see here, I know I have one somewhere," she said as she dug through her pockets._

_"What are you looking for?"_

_"AHHA, here it is," she said and held up a small milky white stone. "Here, this one's yours. I've got two more like it."_

_"What is it?"_

_"It's a diamond. If we're going to form a gang then we need a name and that diamond is part of what we're going to call ourselves."_

_"I don't get it."_

_"Ugh, my first member and she's a half-wit. Look, we're going to be the Diamond Sisters, got it?"_

_"Okay," Apacci said and looked at the small stone. "The Diamond Sisters," she said and smiled._

_"That's right. And there's only one rule."_

_"What's that?"_

_"You've got to promise to that we'll always do stuff together. It doesn't matter if it's doing chores or riding horses or killing Gotei, we do it together."_

_"What about making babies?"_

_"Silly, everyone knows that babies grow in cabbages. So making babies would only be harvesting them."_

_"So, do we have a deal?"_

_"Deal."_

_"Alright, welcome to the Diamond Sisters."_

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

Apacci brought herself out of the memory. She looked at Mila Rose's body and looked away. She couldn't bring herself to look at the woman she called "Sister" for so many years.

"Are you alright?" Sung-Sun asked.

Apacci shook her head and Sung Sun wrapped an arm around her in a hug.

"Sung-Sun…do you…do you still have that stone that Mila Rose gave you when we found you?"

Sung-Sun reached into the inside of her coat and brought out her lighter and pointed at a smooth white stone on the side. Apacci let go of her horse's reign and brought out her revolver and pointed at the white stone she had embedded in the grip.

"I can't believe she actually thought they were diamonds," Apacci said and gave a soft bit of laughter. "Or babies came from cabbages. But we were just kids at the time."

"Yes, but we became diamonds. And we did find out where babies really came from," Sung-Sun said as she put her lighter back into her inner coat pocket. "She kept her stone as well. It was embedded in her buckle."

"It's funny," Apacci said. "I remember when we found you and Mila Rose asked you your name and you said it was Cyan."

"I remember. I asked you what was so funny and Mila Rose said, 'You don't look like a pepper.'"

"No, I was the one who said that. Mila Rose was the one who replied that you reminded her of Sung-Sun from the old children's story since you didn't get the joke."

"That's right," Sung-Sun said and smiled. "And then all three of us just laughed together and that was when I knew that I found…I found my true sisters," Sung-Sun said and sniffled. "And now…and now, it's…it's…"

"I know," Apacci said. "I…I know."

_Fort Seireitei_

The sky was becoming lighter and the eastern horizon was beginning to burn with the fire of the rising sun. Arturo Plateado made his way through the silent streets. He looked at the bullet holes in the brick walls and the charred remains of houses. Blood splattered the streets and corpses littered the ground.

"All is silent in the streets of the Necropolis," he whispered.

He informed his men that their only victims would be the Gotei soldiers who did not have a white armband on and yet he saw many of them go after women and children as well. He saw a group of mercenaries, all of who were supposed to be under his command, walk out of an abandoned saloon. They were obviously drunk and Arturo let them go. He knew that Aizen was now forcing them to go all the way with him and he didn't like it. He looked into the saloon and saw a woman sprawled naked on one of the tables, her throat slit. He walked inside and went upstairs to one of the bedrooms.

He stopped when he saw that another woman was lying naked on the bed, crying. She was badly bruised and blood covered her from the gaping wounds where her breasts that had been cut off. Arturo looked away in disgust.

"This was not supposed to happen," he muttered as he withdrew his revolver. He turned his attention back to the sobbing woman who hadn't noticed him. "I'm so sorry," he whispered and put an end to her misery. "I'm so sorry."

He covered her body with the sheet and made his way to the linen closet whose door now looked like a large slice of Swiss cheese. He looked through the sheets until he found one that was still in good condition. He carried it back downstairs and covered the dead woman as best he could. He muttered a silent prayer to a god he did not even believe in, hoping that perhaps it would ease his sense of guilt.

He walked onto the street and saw a young mercenary looking around. The last thing he wanted was to deal with some situation.

"Arturo," a mercenary said as he caught sight of him. "Sir, I've been looking for you."

"What is it?"

"Sir, my commander caught a group of our men raping a woman. They were…drunk. He wants to know what you want done with them."

"That should be obvious," Arturo said, holding back his rage. "Kill them. Then, inform the other mercenary groups that I'm ordering an immediate execution of any and all mercenaries who are behaving in such a manner. I will not reduce myself to being a Gotei swine. We have our pride to consider."

"Yes sir," the young man said and rushed off.

_How many more will die? If this is what Aizen has in store for Karakura Town, then may he fail and drag us all to Hell with him._

Arturo made his way down the street when he saw his brother, Mordred, sitting on a cart with one of the Bala Shooters they got from the armory. He looked at the ground and saw blood pouring into the streets from one of the alleys. He sighed as he approached and looked in the alley where he saw a mound of children's corpses piled high.

"What did you do?" Arturo asked, tears flooding his eyes.

"I did what the Gotei has done for centuries," Mordred said.

Arturo swung and struck his brother in the jaw and withdrew his revolver and aimed it at the side of Mordred's head. The other mercenaries present backed away and looked at the two brothers.

"We…are not…monsters," Arturo snarled. "Why? WHY DID YOU KILL CHILDREN? I ORDERED YOU NOT TO!"

"FUCK YOU!" Mordred shouted. "IF YOU'RE GONNA SHOOT THEN SHOOT!"

Arturo cocked the hammer back and then shot the mercenary standing behind the gun. The others scattered.

"I will not tolerate unnecessary slaughter."

"Too bad," Mordred said. "Don't you know that slaughter is exactly what the Gensei Provinces need to make up for what they did to us? For years they sent their patrols into the Borderlands and the Wastes to kill anyone who was an Arrancar or sympathetic to them. Now…it's their turn. Hell, their own anthem says, 'And let the foe's blood water our fields red.' Well, now it's our turn to slaughter them."

"Not like this," Arturo said. "Not like this, Mordred. If we do this, then we're exactly like them."

"YOU YOURSELF SAID THAT WE WOULD SEE FORT SEIREITEI BURN!"

"I DIDN'T MEAN THE UNNECESSARY SLAUGHTER OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN!"

"GOTEI WHORES AND BASTARDS! That's all they are. Besides, I did those kids a favor. How many do you think would have survived out there, with no one to help them? They were all orphans. They were all abandoned by their guardians who ran to save their own worthless hides.

"Tell me. Who are you to judge me when you were mowing down Gotei soldiers as well? You stand there judging me for this when you're just as guilty. Face it, brother, we are all damned." Mordred got up and began to walk away. Arturo looked after him and saw his brother stop. Mordred turned around and grinned. "WE ARE ALL DAMNED!" he shouted.

Arturo fell to his knees and vomited. He knew his brother was right.

They were all damned.

_Borderlands_

Skullak rode in silence. The word had been passed along. Fort Seireitei had fallen. Yet none of them celebrated. Instead, they marched in silence. When Skullak received the report he called all of the Exequias together and reminded them that even though the symbol of might for a corrupt and xenophobic nation had fallen, it was nothing to celebrate. Instead, they were to mourn for those who were merely ordinary civilians who wished to just live their lives in peace, only to be either misplaced by the winds of war or swept away in a tide of death.

"War is nothing to celebrate," he muttered.

"Sir, General Rudobon has reported his position," one of the other officers said as he rode up. "He's about a day's march away from the Garganta Pass. He says that he will position the Cero-Class Canons to where the civilians will see, but will not begin the attack until we have made sure that the civilians have evacuated."

"Good, but the real test will be if Baraggan honors that," Skullak said.

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

Hanataro sat with his two patients. He did what he could and without Captain Unohana to help him and Isane, there was no knowing what would happen to them. Isane walked in with a bowl of hot water and fresh bandages.

"How are they?" she asked.

"They're still out of it," Hanataro said. "Should I…leave?" he asked as Isane was taking the bed sheets off of Orihime.

"You've helped change bandages on a woman before," Isane said.

"Well, yeah, but…"

"We need to make sure that wounds aren't infected. Now, come on and help me. Lilynette, would you like to help to?"

Lilynette, who had been looking out the window for any signs of Starrk and the others, turned and rushed over. Starrk had taught her to help out when others needed it and she took Starrk's lessons to heart.

"What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to pass the bandages when I ask for them," Isane said. "But be careful. They're very hot."

"Sure, no problem," Lilynette said, eager to help in any way she could.

Hanataro made his way to Orihime and helped prop her up so that way Isane could unwrap the old bandages. One look at the wound told Isane that it would heal nicely and wouldn't get infected. That was fortunate. She placed a fresh hot towel on the wound and then wrapped the fresh bandages over it. Hanataro helped to lower Orihime back onto the bed and then pulled the covers over her again.

"I hope Captain Unohana will get here soon," he moaned.

"I know, but we need to…"

At that moment Kiyone rushed in.

"Starrk just got here and…"

"Starrk's here," Lilynette said and rushed out.

"Lilynette, wait," Kiyone said, but there was no stopping Lilynette.

She rushed out onto the porch. Her smile wide and eyes bright. They made it. Starrk, Harribel, Apacci, Sung-Sun, and Mila Rose had arrived as she knew they would. She stopped and then her smile faltered.

"Wh-where's Aunt Mila Rose?" she asked.

"Lilynette, I…I'm so sorry," Starrk said.

"No, no, she…she can't be. She…she can't be," Lilynette said, tears shimmering in her eyes. Then she saw the bundle on Leona's back and she couldn't control herself. She rushed to the bundle. "AUNT MILA ROSE!" she cried out and hugged the bundle.

Harribel looked at Lilynette's grief and shared in her grief. She looked at Starrk who had his head lowered.

"We'll bury her here," he whispered.

In the distance, a wolf howled in grief as the eastern sky began to be painted with dawn's fire.

_Sabaku Dessert_

Nel watched as the Arrancar Army took down the camp and began their march east again. She was surprised that she restrained herself from just rushing to the camp when she heard the gunshots. She supposed that the fear of seeing Grimmjow dead and torn to ribbons by the rapid fire of the Bala Shooter was enough to restrain her. As soon as the rear guards were far enough away that she knew she wouldn't be noticed, she rushed to the former campsite.

She looked around in the lessening gloom. The sky was now a dark gray and sunlight could be seen coming over the horizon. She froze when her eyes caught sight of the bodies slumped against a rock wall. She ran over to them and fell to her knees.

"Nel," Pesche said.

"He…he can't be dead," she moaned and fell to her knees in front of the executed men. "I…I won't believe he's dead. Check them," she said. "Please, check them."

_The Dream Wilderness_

_He stood in the middle of a vast sea of sand. A crescent moon was high above him. He looked around and did not see anyone around._

_"Hey, hey guys, where are you?" he asked._

_He was terrified. He didn't like being alone. He looked around, but there was no sign of his Panteras. Where were they? He began to run. He didn't know where he was running and he didn't care. He only knew that he had to find them. He remembered facing Luppi, standing behind one of the Bala Shooters. He remembered Shawlong bumping into him, causing him to lose his balance as Luppi roared in glee as he pulled the trigger. The last thing he remembered was pain as bullets tore into him and then he was here, alone._

_"YYLFORDT! DI ROY! NAKEEM! EDORAD! SHAWOLONG! WHERE ARE YOU?"_

_There was no response. He ran even faster until he saw a large mountain cat standing before him. It looked at him with eyes that were like his own. They both looked at each other and then the mountain cat began to walk away. Grimmjow didn't know why, but he felt as though he should follow. He then saw a bat fly down and land on the mountain cat's head. The bat turned and looked at him with brilliant emerald green eyes._

_"Ulquiorra," he whispered._

_The bat only looked at him and then flew away. He watched as the bat landed next to a dove with brown eyes. The two animals flew side-by-side._

_"No, not that way," Grimmjow said. "NOT THAT WAY!" he shouted._

_The two animals fluttered slightly and then turned around. Grimmjow smiled as he saw them transform into Ulquiorra and Orihime, clinging to each other in a lover's embrace._

_"Tch…I'll never let you live this down, Ulquiorra," Grimmjow muttered._

_He watched as they walked in the opposite direction and then he realized something._

_"Am I dying? Is this what dying is? Huh…it's not too bad," he whispered._

_He looked forward and saw that the sands were giving way to an endless field of crystalline trees. Beyond the trees he could see lush fields and blue waters._

_"Well, look who decided to show up," someone said._

_He looked at the edge of the forest and smiled as he saw his Panteras standing there._

_"It's about time you showed up," Di Roy said._

_"Come to say 'Bon Voyage' for us?" Nakeem asked and burst out into laughter._

_"Guys," Grimmjow whispered and fell to his knees._

_"What's this about?" Edorad asked. "I thought you would be happy to see us."_

_"It's just…it's just that…"_

_"Aw, I think him being here is a little too much," Yylfordt said._

_"Either that or it's seeing your ugly face," Di Roy said._

_"Why? Why are you joking around? I…I got you killed. It's my fault. It's…It's all my fault."_

_"No it isn't," Shawlong said. "We made a promise to you and we kept it. We know that we don't have anything to be ashamed of. We rode with you and now our journey ends. That's all there is to it."_

_"NO! I…I need you guys. You were the only family I ever really had."_

_"What about Nel?" Edorad asked._

_Grimmjow was startled at that. He looked at them and then smiled._

_"Alright, alright, I see your point. You're going to tell me that it's not my time yet and then walk off into that forest or something."_

_"That's right," Di Roy said._

_"You see. I told you that old cliché has been used too many times," Yylfordt said._

_"Yeah, but at least it was better than your suggestion of just appearing to him as ghosts and then fading away. That's even more cliché," Edorad said._

_Grimmjow laughed._

_"Even in death you guys are the same," he said and shook his head._

_"Grimmjow," Shawlong said. "You need to go back. Your time has not yet come and they need you," he said and pointed._

_Grimmjow turned and saw the bat and dove on top of the horns of a ram standing next to a doe with a wolf cub next to her. At the front was a wolf looking at him with blue-grey eyes. He looked back to his Panteras and smiled._

_"I get it. There's still a battle to fight."_

_"Damn right," Nakeem said._

_"Will I…will I ever get to ride with you again?"_

_"Are you shitting us?" Di Roy asked. "When you get there, we'll be waiting," he said and pointed at the lush fields._

_"I look forward to it," Grimmjow said. "Just…not yet. There are some things I want to do first."_

_"Good," Yylfordt said._

_He watched as Nakeem and Di Roy turned and walked into the Crystalline Forest with Yylfordt and Edorad close behind. Shawlong turned and was about to follow when Grimmjow thought of something._

_"HEY SHAWLONG," he shouted._

_Shawlong turned and looked at Grimmjow in surprise._

_"AREN'T YOU FORGETTING SOMETHING?"_

_Shawlong smiled._

_"I told you so," he said and walked into the forest._

_Grimmjow smiled. He wasn't sure if Shawlong remembered how years ago he told him that if he ever got hurt then he could say those words. The thought brought tears to his eyes and he fell to the ground, weeping. He didn't know how long he was like that before he heard the voice._

_"Grimmjow…"_

_"What is it?"_

_"Grimmjow…please…please…don't leave me."_

_"Nel?"_

_"Don't leave me," the voice said again, even louder this time._

_"Nel, where are you?"_

_"Grimmjow!"_

_"NEL!" Grimmjow screamed. "Where are you?"_

_He ran away from the Crystalline Forest, following Nel's voice. Ahead, he could see what looked like dawn's light in the sky._

_"GRIMM!" Nel cried again. "PLEASE, DON'T DIE! I NEED YOU!"_

_"I'm coming," he croaked. His body was beginning to become stiff. "I'm coming. I'm coming. I'm coming. I'm…"_

_Sabaku Dessert_

"…coming," Grimmjow croaked as he opened his eyes.

"GRIMM!" Nel shouted and kissed him so hard that Grimmjow winced in pain.

However, he ignored the pain. He tried to embrace her, but his body wouldn't move.

"Oh Grimm, I thought I lost you," Nel said and stroked his hair. "I thought I lost you."

"Ha," Grimmjow croaked. "It…it would take more than that to get rid of me," he whispered.

Grimmjow looked at her and smiled. He was still alive. And as long as he lived, he would be able to fight.

_Karakura Hotel_

Ukitake woke to the sound of a fist pounding at the door. Beside him Unohana moaned and shifted as she drew the blankets closer to her naked body.

"I'll get it," he said as he got up and put on one of the hotel's bathrobes.

He yawned as he opened the door, but he became wide awake when he saw Shunsui, Toshiro, and Byakuya standing outside.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Is Captain Unohana in there with you?" Kyoraku asked.

"I am," Unohana called out from the bed where she was now sitting upright, the blankets wrapped around her.

"What is it?"

"I'm afraid we have received some…bad news," Byakuya said. "Right now, all of Karakura Town is in an uproar over it."

"What is it?"

Toshiro opened his mouth and then closed it. Ukitake saw the fear in his face and knew that it must be terrible.

"I'm afraid," Shunsui said and then he shook his head. "It's just…too incredible to believe. It's…it's…"

"I'm afraid that Fort Seireitei has fallen," Byakuya said.

Ukitake looked at them and Unohana let out a gasp.

"Oh…oh God," Ukitake moaned. "The others will have to be informed of this. Byakuya, have you heard any news from Rukia or Renji?"

"I have not," Byakuya said. "And that's troubling."

"I'll go to the Senkaimon Goods Station," Kyoraku said. "Maybe they ran out of time and proceeded to the rallying point."

"They would have contacted me if they did that," Byakuya said. "I'll go."

"I'll see if I can find Rangiku," Toshiro said. "She probably knows by now, but I want to make sure she's ready."

"Alright," Ukitake said. "We'll do what we have to and then head out to the rallying point."

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

Orihime moaned slightly as she opened her eyes.

"Hey look, Isaac. She's awake."

"That's wonderful, Miria my dear," Isaac said as he rushed over.

"Wh-where am I?" she asked.

"You're at the Sergio Leone Ranch. Unfortunately Unohana wasn't here, but her two associates were able to help you become right as rain," Isaac said giving her a thumbs up.

"Right as rain," Miria echoed and gave her the thumbs up as well.

"But, how did I get here? I remember being shot and then I was…flying and…and someone called out, 'Not that way.' I don't know. My mind's a blur."

"Well, that's alright," Miria said. "Just lie down and I'll get Nurse Hanataro or Nurse Isane to take care of ya."

"That's right," Isaac said. "Your friend over there is still out of it, but it looks like he'll pull through too," he said and gestured to the bed where Ulquiorra slept.

Orihime smiled.

"Oh, and your other friends arrived too," Isaac said, "but…"

"What is it?"

"Never mind that," Miria said. "Now's not the time for…for sad stuff."

Orihime looked at her, confused.

"What are you talking about?"

_Senkaimon Goods Station_

Ichigo sat on the bunk in his cell. He heard the door opening and looked up to see Tyanna walking in with a tray of food. She looked at him and sighed.

"I'm…sorry for your loss," she said and slid the tray through the gap at the bottom.

"What's it to you?" he asked, his voice weak.

"Your sisters are alright," she said. "Not all of us are like that bastard Dorian. Why Zommari keeps him around is beyond me."

"Why are you here? I thought Dorian's my caretaker."

"I'm here to give you food and Dorian's moved out with the rest of Zommari's Fraccion. I…decided to stay until someone comes to get you and then I'm getting out."

"Are you going to join the others?"

"No. Believe it or not, Aizen's vendetta doesn't really interest me. I was brought in by Tsukishima. I didn't expect things to turn out this way. So, I'm leaving. I'll probably head north or south and get a bit of property. Or maybe I'll head further east. I don't really know. I'm a bird without a roosting place now."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I don't really know. Maybe it's because I feel sorry for you. Maybe I'm trying to do one bit of goodness in my life. I understand that you had a chance to stop this from happening. Why didn't you take it?"

"I was…foolish. I was foolish to think that I could always play the hero and now…now I realize that there's no such thing as a hero."

"Now that's foolishness. There are heroes, but they're not the absolutely honorable guy or gal with the excellent physique who shit roses out of their asses and have flowers blossoming up wherever they step and are surrounded by some lousy halo of light. Real heroes are flawed people who have weaknesses and fears and burdens and yet do what they have to when the time demands it."

"And I failed," Ichigo said. "I failed and now…now I've lost…I'm alone. I have nobody."

Tyanna sighed and walked away. She stopped and looked at him.

"You're right," she whispered. "You are alone, but who isn't?"

_Sabaku Dessert_

Ggio looked at Sui-Feng. Her eyes were still red from crying so much and her shoulders were still slumped as if she was resigned to her fate. However, he noticed that there was an air of determination around her.

_She's still going to keep fighting,_ he thought.

He shook his head at that, but remembering how she felt, trembling and weeping as he held her made him feel… He didn't really know how it made him feel. Perhaps "needed" was the right word. It was a feeling he rarely got, even during his time as one of Baraggan's Crimson Dragons. He shook his head at that. Baraggan saved his life a couple of years after he met him. Baraggan wouldn't have done that if he didn't need him.

"Thank you," Sui-Feng muttered.

"Why are you thanking me…again?"

"You didn't leave me to mourn alone."

"I wasn't mourning."

"You were. I saw it."

"I just…don't like seeing you…ah forget it."

"No, please tell me."

"Fine, I don't like seeing you so upset. There, are you happy?"

"That depends. I'm not happy knowing that I no longer have a home to go to. I'm not happy when the only thing that I ever had to identify myself with has been taken away from me. All of my life, the Gotei was my identification and now I…I no longer know who I am."

"Sure you do. You're Sui-Feng, a Gotei officer," Ggio said. "That means that your Gotei isn't gone. You're still here."

Sui-Feng looked at him in surprise and then smiled.

"I suppose you're right. I guess the only reason why I can be happy is that I know that someone will be there for me."

She looked at Ggio who blushed when he saw the look in her face. He turned away and cleared his throat.

"Uh…you're welcome then," he said.

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

Starrk and Shinji tossed down their shovels after they finished the two makeshift graves. The two bound corpses were ready to be placed into the earth.

"I did what I could," Apacci said as she gestured to the two wooden markers. "Until…until we can…we can get them proper head stones."

"It's fine," Shinji said as she saw the one for Hiyori which read:

HIYORI SARUGAKI

SHE DID HER DUTY

"I'm…I'm sorry. I…I just…I just…" he said and turned away so that none of the others could see his tears. "I failed. I failed."

"Idiot," Jackie said. "Why would you say that? She took the bullet that was meant for you. So stop blubbering and feeling guilty and man-the-fuck-up," she said and wiped away her own tears.

Starrk looked at the one for Mila Rose and felt his throat tighten. It read:

FRANCESCA MILA ROSE

LOVE AND FAMILY

BRIGHTEST DIAMOND IN HEAVEN

"She would have liked that," Starrk said as he put a hand on Lilynette's shoulder.

"So, does anyone wish to say something for Hiyori?" Kugo asked.

Shinji stepped forward.

"I knew Hiyori well. She was always calling me a Dumbass and…and I guess I am," he said. "I…I just don't know what I'm going to do without her there to kick me around or slap me with her shoes. I only know that…that I'll miss her. Thank you, Hiyori."

He stepped back and began to weep. Mashiro stepped forward.

"I'll…I'll miss you," she said and shook her head as she returned to Kensei who put his arms around her in an embrace.

"May the sun always shine on you where you are," Hachi said and put a small cluster of wildflowers on the wrapped figure. "May the grass always be green and cool beneath your feet in the Elysian Fields."

"Kick ass, sister," Jackie said and did a small fist pump before she broke into tears and made her way back to the rest of the mourners.

"Maybe we should say something," Harribel whispered.

Starrk shook his head.

"They knew her best," he said.

"Please, say something," Shinji said. "She would appreciate it."

Starrk sighed and nodded.

_Sabaku Dessert_

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Nel asked as Pesche and Dondochakka finished digging the graves.

"Yes," Grimmjow muttered as he leaned against a rock. "I owe it to them. If Shawlong hadn't pushed me to the side when he did, I would have died as well."

Nel knew that it was true. His wounds were bad, and they could have been fatal if she hadn't gotten to him when she did. He was slowly recovering and would most likely not be able to move until, at soonest, later that evening. However, Grimmjow insisted that they bury his Panteras. He would not leave them lying around for the vultures.

"We're done, dontcha know," Dondochakka said as he got out of the fifth grave.

Grimmjow looked at the shrouded bodies of his Panteras and closed his eyes.

"Thanks guys," he said. "I could not have asked to have anyone else to ride with me for as long as you did, except for…" he turned to look at Nel who smiled at him. "You kept your word and you maintained your Pride on the Blade. There is no shame in calling you my…my friends…no…not just friends…my family."

Nel embraced Grimmjow as he could no longer hold it in and he began to weep. Her tears mixed with his. In the east, the sun was beginning to rise.

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

"Now, would anyone like to say anything for Mila Rose?" Kugo asked.

Sung-Sun stepped forward. She looked at Mila Rose's body and shook her head.

"I…I still can't believe that I'll no longer be able to argue with her," she said. "She was the first true friend I ever had and eventually became like an annoying little sister. There were times when I was annoyed with her and other times when I thought she would drive me crazy and yet I…I want those times again. I want her to tell me to shut up one more time and I…I won't…I won't hear her tell me to shut up or tell me how annoying I am or how…how I shouldn't look down on her. I miss you, Sis."

Lilynette stepped forward and put a wild rose she found in the fields on the bound body.

"Goodbye, Aunt Mila Rose," she said and rushed back to Starrk and hugged him.

"You did good," Starrk whispered, a slight tremor in his voice. "You did good."

Harribel stepped forward and placed another rose on Mila Rose's body.

"The times I spent with you were some of the best I had. I will never forget you or what you meant to us," Harribel said. She paused for a moment to take a deep breath. "You were the sister I…I wished I…I knew."

She backed away and stood next to Starrk who wrapped his arm around her waist and held her close to him.

Apacci went up and just looked down at the shroud-covered body.

"I…I…I fucking hate you," she muttered. "You…you left me behind. We swore that we…that we would always do stuff together. Now…now I can't follow you yet. God damn it, Mila Rose, you were…you were always…always a pain in the ass. You were always going on about how I should watch what I was eating or else I would get fat. You were always calling me a coward or how I would always be second-rate to you. You were always going on about how Harribel trusted you more than me. Yet…despite…despite being a pain in the ass…you were there for me. You gave me some of your share when we were starving. You were there to comfort me during thunderstorms and whenever we heard gunshots.

"Now…now you've left me. You charged me to help protect Harribel. And then you just left me…without a single idea of how to be as strong as you. I…I just don't know what to do anymore. You…you were the big sister I always wanted to have and now…now…now…

"Oh God, I feel so alone. I feel so…" she fell to her knees and wailed as dawn made its way over the horizon.

Sung-Sun stepped forward and knelt beside her. The two remaining Diamond Sisters hugged each other. No one said a word. Lilynette looked up at Starrk who looked at her and nodded. She made her way to the others and hugged Apacci as well. The message became clear for Apacci and she looked up at Harribel and Starrk.

"I'm…not alone," she whispered.

"You never were," Sung-Sun said.

She looked over at Mila Rose's body and smiled.

"I'll show you I can protect Harribel better than you. I love you, Big Sis," she whispered.

Starrk approached. Over the course of the eulogies he didn't say much. He looked at those gathered and saw that the Gotei officers were watching as well. When he heard from them about the fall of Fort Seireitei, he didn't know what to say. Now, he did.

"All life is a dream and all dreams must come to an end," he said. "May the Mother embrace you and keep you as you awaken in the next life. Remember the joy and the sorrow. Remember the faces of those you loved and who loved you. Though our parting is temporary, we shall meet again in a better life full of love and joy and laughter. Though tragedy may fall; if we are willing to stand together, then hope for tomorrow shall never die."

Silence fell as he finished. A soft morning wind rose as the sun climbed over the horizon. Somewhere in the wind or in the hearts of those who mourned, the voices of the dead could be heard for a brief moment saying a single word:

Stand.

_The wind sweeps away the ash and unveils a blossoming rose._

**End of Chapter 14**

**A.N.: This chapter was such an emotional roller coaster ride for me. For the funeral scenes, there were two pieces of music, both are from the soundtrack to HBO's series _Carnivale_ (Season 1) by Jeff Beal, that I listened to over-and-over again to try to get the mood right: "Dora Mae's Funeral" and "Sofie's Theme". I'm going to slow the pace down a little bit for the next couple of chapters in order to build up to the climactic battle that will be coming up.**

**Early on I was wondering how I would include Hichigo into the story and after writing Chapter 13 I realized that Hichigo could be Ichigo's childhood boogeyman and since he's feeling helpless like a child he would, in a sense, resurrect the old childhood nightmare (although I believe that our childhood boogeymen never really leave us but instead lie dormant or take on another form as we grow older).**

**Thank you for reading and please review.**


	15. Chapter 15: Resolve

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 15: Resolve**

_Karakura Hospital_

Mizuiro and Keigo hitched their horses in front of the hospital. The sky above was beginning to take on the shades of dark blue and deep violet. They could hear the sounds of rioting coming from somewhere nearby. Doctors in white coats and nurses hiking up their dresses so that they would not trip over them ran to incoming carts with patients.

"This isn't good," Keigo moaned.

"Come on," Mizuiro said. "We were told to get this information to Kisuke."

Keigo looked at the two sheets of paper that Mizuiro brought out of his coat pocket. He still couldn't understand how their boss, Tsukishima, could be involved in a plot against the Gensei Provinces. However, there was the evidence before him.

"We need to tell someone," Keigo said.

"Who do you recommend? We don't know who else we can trust. If Tsukishima's involved, then we have to assume that anyone could be his eyes and ears."

Keigo moaned as they walked to the front doors that were left wide open. They saw men carrying stretchers with people who had been caught in the chaos. They rushed to the front desk where one of the orderlies was shouting out directions to the staff.

"NO! TAKE HIM TO EMERGENCY CARE IMMEDIATELY!" the orderly shouted from where she sat.

"Uh…excuse me," Mizuiro said.

"Hold on…NO TAKE THAT ONE TO SECONDARY! HE JUST HAS A BROKEN ARM! TAKE THE GUNSHOT VICTIM TO PRIMARY! What do you want?"

"We're looking for Kisuke Urahara. Do you know where he is?"

"How the fuck do I know? He checked out only a few minutes ago."

"What?" Mizuiro asked.

"You heard me. He checked out along with Dr. Ishida, who only woke up, and Mr. Davis. I don't know where they went. I don't care where they went. All that I know is that there are a lot of people who need help. HEY! HEY! THAT ONE NEEDS TO GO TO OPERATION RIGHT NOW! FIND DR. FIELDS AND TELL HIM TO GET HIS ASS TO OPERATION! I DON'T GIVE A FUCK IF YOU HAVE TO DRAG HIM OUTA BED!"

"So, what are we gonna do?" Keigo asked.

"We need to head to the Sergio Ranch," Mizuiro said. "That's where they'll most likely be heading. Come on."

The two made their way out of the hospital, not seeing the Pinkerton Agent watching them.

_Pinkerton Agency Offices_

"Sir, we just received word. Agents Keigo and Mizuiro were at the hospital looking for Kisuke Urahara."

"I see," Tsukishima said, smiling. _If they were asking for Urahara, then that must mean they have those documents,_ he thought. "Which way were they heading?"

"They're currently trying to get out of Karakura Town, but with the streets being in complete chaos right now…"

"Good. Make sure that our fellows are watching the roads out of town. Make sure that neither one gets out."

"Shouldn't we just use the chaos to get rid of them?"

"I'll deal with that part myself. Your duty is to capture them and bring them to me. As soon as the crowds realize that the Gotei officers are powerless against the chaos, send the agents out to keep them under control."

"Yes sir."

Tsukishima turned his attention to the streets outside.

_Come high noon tomorrow,_ he thought, _I'll be the one calling the shots._

_Streets of Karakura Town_

Tessai tried to keep to the back roads in order to avoid the crowds of people who had taken to the streets. The sounds of breaking glass and gunfire filled the early dawn.

"The Gotei officers here are going to have their work cut-out for them," Davis said.

"Agh, it's too loud," Ryuken Ishida moaned.

"Well, at least you're up," Kisuke said. "Tessai had to virtually carry you out."

"I was bitten by a Death's Head Viper," Ryuken said. "Of course I'm going to wake up with a headache."

"Aren't you worried about your son?" Tessai asked.

"I'm sure he's fine. If he's not then it's his fault," Ryuken said, rubbing his head. "Now shut up and get me some kind of tonic for this damn headache."

"Is he always so harsh when it comes to his son?" Davis asked.

"Yeah, but that's because he was never good with displaying his emotions," Kisuke said. "Tessai, do you know the way?"

"Yes sir," Tessai said. "We only have to go down one of the main streets for a bit and then we'll reach a back road that will lead out of Karakura Town."

Kisuke nodded.

"Just get us out of here undetected. The last thing we need is for any of Aizen's cronies knowing where we're going."

_Sabaku Desert_

Rudobon looked at the map spread on the ground. The light from the small lantern was enough for him. So far they met with little resistance after the word about Fort Seireitei got out. He was not surprised to find that some of the outposts were completely deserted except for those who decided to stay to fulfill their duties, only to find a quick death.

"Sir, we should get moving," Alejo said. "The men serving under Kenpachi Zaraki will not let the fall of Fort Seireitei stop them."

"I didn't think it would. When we reach the Garganta Pass I'll have three squads of Exequias to guard it to prevent Kenpachi and his men from attacking us in the rear. As far as I can tell, there are no more Gotei outposts to pose a threat to us except for the one at Junrinan. That's where we'll meet up with Skullak's forces.

"How long do you think it will take for us to reach Junrinan?"

"I would probably say tomorrow afternoon and we should arrive at the Garganta Pass that evening, so long as we don't have to fight the Gotei stationed at Junrinan," Alejo said.

Rudobon nodded and folded the map. Alejo picked up the lantern and blew it out.

"It's almost over," Rudobon said. "I don't know whether to be relieved or disappointed."

"Well, let's see how it ends," Alejo said.

Rudobon looked after his second-in-command and nodded to himself. In only two days, one way or another, it would all be over.

_Senkaimon Goods Station_

Ichigo did not stir from his position on the cell's floor. He felt too tired to even try to move. It was as though the past few hours had been a living Hell for him. He had seen his own father and one of his best friends murdered. He could not understand why Rukia had picked him to live. It was his fault that they were captured. It was his fault that Fort Seireitei had fallen. It was his fault that Renji and his father were dead and that Rukia was now nothing more than a marionette being controlled by the strings of Euforia Absoluta.

_You know, you could end it,_ the harsh voice whispered. _It's easy. All you have to do is just take your belt and…_

"No," Ichigo snarled.

_You must realize that there's no real hope for you. You're alone. They all abandoned you because you're nothing more than chicken-shit._

"I know, but…"

"_But" nothing… Why don't you just do everyone a favor and die? That way you won't have to endure any more suffering. You already failed at so many things. You failed to protect Orihime that time four months ago. You failed to protect Central 46. Oh…and nice job on protecting your friends and family. Face it. You're pathetic. You're nothing._

"I know. I know. I know," Ichigo moaned.

_GIVE UP! That way you won't have to fail anymore. Wouldn't that be nice?_

Ichigo didn't say anything. Instead, he only covered his ears as his childhood bogeyman went into a fit of shrill, insane laughter.

_Junrinan_

"GANJU!"

"WHAT?" Ganju shouted to his sister.

"Be careful with those crates you idiot. They're filled with explosives. If you cause even one of those crates to go off and ruin my shop, I swear to God I'll beat your fat ass to a pulp."

Szayel Aporro finished putting the crate that held his Fornicarás Rifle onto the cart. He found it odd that his two, twin, fat horses, Lumina and Verona, were hitched on either side of Bonnie the Pig. Tonight the words "FOUR HOOF DRIVE" were painted on the giant boar's side. He could not understand how the idea of using a boar as a horse could ever enter anyone's idea.

_This is just great,_ he thought. _Ulquiorra drags me into something I would rather stay out of. I get shot at by three idiots who held a grudge against me. And now, I'm stuck with two psychos, one into explosives and another who uses a boar as a horse. And now I'm heading into danger and not out of it. Maybe I should have just gone home when I had the chance. But then again, Aizen could have posted people there and they would have killed me just as I was going through my front door. Damn you, Ulquiorra. If I die because of this, I'm going to make sure to haunt you to an early grave._

"HEY, PINKY, ARE YOU READY?" Kukaku shouted.

"Yeah," Szayel Aporro said.

"Good. Ganju, do you know if Jidanbo is still going with us?"

"The last time I checked he was," Ganju said. "But…what if…?"

Kukaku sighed. While she was busy loading the explosives they heard shouting coming from outside. Somebody was going around town shouting that Fort Seireitei had fallen. She did not understand why anyone would think they had an obligation to go running in the streets, shouting out the worst news. The idiot had caused a panic and now people were starting to pack their things and getting out of town. Of course, none of them ever thought about where they would go.

"Jidanbo gave us his word," Kukaku said. "He won't break his word even if Judgment Day was here. Pinky, get your ass moving. We're getting outta here."

"I would appreciate it if you don't call me 'Pinky,' and if you would ask politely."

Kukaku stopped and glared at Szayel Aporro. He swallowed hard and tried to find someplace to hide.

"First off," she said. Her voice was low and ominous. "I can call you whatever I want to call you. Just remember, I can still spill your little secret. Is that clear…Psycho Pink?"

"Yes," Szayel Aporro squeaked while nodding his head vigorously.

"Let's see if you really understand. Who's in charge here?"

"You are."

"Good, that's one-for-one. Now, what's your name?"

Szayel Aporro thought hard about it. He really didn't want to say the answer she was looking for, but he didn't have many options. He sighed in defeat.

"Whatever you want it to be," he moaned.

"Well, what do ya know? You really are a genius," Kukaku said, grinning. "That's right Pink-Boy. From this moment on, your ass belongs to me and I can call ya whatever I like. Now, move your ass…please."

_Well,_ Szayel Aporro thought as he climbed into the cart, _at least she said "Please."_

_Gin Ichimaru's Suite_

Gin looked over to where Rangiku still slept. Dawn was approaching and she would soon hear the news. In the meantime, he wanted to let her have some last moments of peace before the end game began. He sighed as he made his way over and pulled the blanket over her naked body. Rangiku let out a tiny moan and shifted a little.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Looking at Rangiku reminded him of why he decided to join Aizen in his vendetta. It also helped him to decide that what he had planned was for the best. Gin knew that out of all of the conspirators, Kaname had been the only one who was absolutely committed to helping Aizen achieve his goal. However, Gin had plans of his own.

He shook his head as he made his way carefully to the door.

"You're leaving again."

He stopped and turned to where Rangiku was sitting up with the blanket concealing her breasts.

"I…didn't want to disturb you."

"So you decided to just leave without telling me, like you did before? Why?"

"I don't really know," Gin said.

Rangiku looked at him. She could tell that he was hurting. She never thought that leaving her the way he did so many years ago had also hurt him and he spent most of that time wondering if he did the right thing. However, that did not change the fact that he hurt her.

_Not this time,_ she thought. _He's not going to get away with hurting me like that. Damn it, I deserve answers._

She got out of the bed, ignoring the fact that she was naked. She was too angry to care. She made her way to Gin and slapped him across the face. He looked at her in surprise.

"Rangi-"

"Don't," she said.

She stood in front of the door and crossed her arms over her large breasts. Gin looked at her and tried to resist the urge to say what he wanted to, and failed.

"So, is this one of those role-playing sex games I've been hearing about?"

"BASTARD!" Rangiku shouted and slapped him again. "This isn't funny. I need to know and I'm not letting you out until you tell me the Truth. Why did you leave me without at least saying 'Goodbye'? Do you have any idea how much you hurt me? I felt like a whore…no, worse than a whore since you didn't even pay me. But I'm not going to let you do that to me again. I refuse to allow you to hurt me again."

Gin sighed and shook his head. How could he tell her? What should he say? If he told her, then it would hurt her even more. He didn't want to hurt her.

_Damn, I should have just walked away,_ Gin thought. _Why didn't I? Is it because I still need her to help keep my resolve?_

He knew the answers, but he couldn't bring himself to tell her.

"I…have my reasons and they're still the same."

"Tell me," Rangiku said. Gin looked at her and shook his head. "Why can't you?"

"It's because it would only hurt you even more. I know that I hurt you before. I don't want to hurt you anymore and if I tell you then I would only cause you more pain. Please, just…let it go. I'm not worth the pain."

Rangiku looked at Gin. She sighed and moved aside. She knew that was the only answer she would receive from him. She tried to fight back the tears as Gin put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he whispered again.

"Just go," Rangiku whispered. "I don't want to see you again."

That last part hurt him. It was like feeling a thousand scorpions sting him. He took his hand off her shoulder and opened the door.

"Goodbye," he whispered and walked out of the bedroom.

Rangiku stood against the wall and then collapsed. She allowed her tears to flow.

_Karakura Town_

Giriko rode through the back streets. After informing Tessai about what occurred at the hospital, he decided to look for any of the Gotei officers to tell them. He took out his pocket watch and saw that dawn was only less than an hour away. He hoped that the others got to the Sergio Leone Ranch alright.

"EVERYONE, KEEP ORDER!" someone shouted.

Giriko straightened in the saddle. He rode forward and saw that one of the main streets was ahead of him. A crowd was gathering and he noted that most were carrying whatever they could.

_They're trying to get out of here,_ he thought. _But where would they go?_

He rode forward and saw that the Captain trying to keep everyone calm was the young Captain with short, messy, silver hair.

"LISTEN, WE ARE AWARE OF THE SITUATION!" Toshiro shouted. "HOWEVER, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO OUR DUTY!"

"WHAT CAN YOU DO?" someone shouted. "THEY'RE COMING TO KILL US ALL AND THEY HAVE HUNDREDS! THERE'S NO HOPE!"

"FOOL!" Toshiro shouted. "AS LONG AS WE STAND UNITED AGAINST THE INVADERS THEN THERE'S STILL HOPE!"

"WHAT AUTHORITY DO YOU HAVE? THE GOTEI HAVE FALLEN!"

Giriko wanted to help the young Captain. However, before he could act, he saw members from the Pinkerton Agency making their way forward. He was instructed not to attract their attention and so he didn't do anything.

"Captain Hitsugaya," one of the agents said. "We have been instructed to help with crowd control in any way that we can."

Giriko saw Toshiro's eyes narrow and knew that he didn't trust the Pinkerton Agents either. He could tell that they were up to something, but didn't know what. All that he knew was that Tsukishima was up to something.

_Senkaimon Goods Station_

Silence surrounded Ichigo like the sands of the Hueco Mundo Wastes. He tried to focus on the sound of the wind or the soft cries of his sisters from somewhere nearby. However, he could not focus on any of those things. The only thing that he could focus on was the figure lying across from him. Black and yellow eyes glared back at him. Icy blue lips peeled back in a snarling grin revealing rotting teeth.

_They're coming for ya. They're coming to kill ya and your sisters. What do ya think about that?_

"I think you should just shut the fuck up."

_My, aren't we getting a little too uppity for our own good. Ya know. I ain't gonna leave ya alone until you admit that you've lost._

"Shut up. You're not real. You're not real," Ichigo said, shutting his eyes. "You're not real. You're not real."

_Am I real?_

The voice had changed. Ichigo opened his eyes and saw Renji lying on the ground where Hichigo laid. Blood pooled around his head like a grotesque halo. Ichigo shook his head and closed his eyes.

"You're not there. You're not there. Not there. Not there. Not there."

_Why can't you accept the fact that you failed?_ Rukia's voice asked. _You're a failure. You can't even control your mind. You've lost your resolve. Why don't you just end it? You can join us._

"You ain't dead."

_Oh, but we're all dead here. _Isshin's voice said. _These are the halls of the dead. _

"No, no, no, no, no, no…."

Laughter filled the air and he could feel cold, slimy hands on him. Then they were gone. Ichigo opened his eyes and he was alone.

Dawn's light shone in through the barred windows across the hall. He couldn't hear anything except for the singing of birds. He could not believe that after what happened the night before that birds could possibly be singing. However, when he closed his eyes, the bird songs sounded too much like the laughter of the dead.

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

Apacci sat by Mila Rose's grave. Her fingers ran over the smooth white stone embedded in her revolver's grip. She sighed as she re-holstered her revolver.

"Hey, can I join you?"

She turned and saw Hanataro standing nearby with a cluster of wild flowers in his hands.

"I…I know I didn't know her, but…"

"It's alright," Apacci said. "Please, sit down."

Hanataro laid the cluster of wild flowers and sat down. Apacci could tell that he didn't know what to say. Hearing about Fort Seireitei falling must have been tough on him as much as it had been for the other Gotei officers who were there.

"I…uh…I just wanted to make sure you were alright," Hanataro said.

"Why do you care? The only thing you know about me is that I'm an Arrancar. And the only thing I know about you is that you're Gotei."

"I know," Hanataro said. "But…is there even a Gotei?"

Apacci sighed. She knew that he had a point. Fort Seireitei stood for everything that the Arrancars fought against. It was the uniting symbol for the Gotei, a symbol of strength. Now, it was gone. The Arrancars never had anything to truly unite them. In some ways it was a good thing, but in others it wasn't.

_He's lost everything that he knew,_ she thought. _He's lost about as much, maybe even more, than I did. Yet, here he is, trying to comfort someone who only a few months ago was his enemy._

"I'm sorry," Hanataro said. "I guess…I never realized some of the things that we did."

"Well, the Gotei did do a lot of shitty things to us, but none of them were your fault. A part of me wanted to celebrate. I mean, the Gotei did bring us to this, but then… Shit, Mila Rose wouldn't want me to celebrate the Gotei's destruction. I forgot that not all of the Gotei are our enemies."

"Do you think I'm your enemy?"

Apacci smiled at Hanataro's question and only rubbed his head.

"You're alright," she said.

"There you are," Nanao said. "Hanataro, we got word. The situation in Karakura Town is getting under control."

"Well, that's good. I knew that the Captains could get it under control."

"That's the problem," Nanao said. "The ones who are handling the situation is the Pinkerton Agency."

_Karakura Town_

Mizuiro and Keigo made their way through the emptying streets.

"Something's not right," Mizuiro said. "Earlier there was chaos and now…"

Keigo nodded. He looked around.

"What is it, Mr. Asano?"

"I don't know. It could be my imagination."

"What is it?"

"Well, I think we're being followed."

Mizuiro looked around and his eyes narrowed.

"That's because we are," he whispered. "Keigo, we're gonna have to split up. Here, take this sheet of paper," he said and handed Keigo one of the two sheets that Starrk and Harribel took from Tsukishima's office. Keigo took it and folded it before putting it into his vest pocket. "Ride as fast as you can to the Sergio Leone Ranch. Don't stop. Whoever's following us can follow two targets. Now GO!"

Keigo rode off down one of the side-streets while Mizuiro rode as hard as he could down the main street. He could hear shouting coming from somewhere behind him.

_Oh shit,_ he thought. _There must have been more than one._

Keigo used the maze of side streets in a desperate attempt to lose his pursuers. However, he was in a mad panic. He didn't know which way he was going. However, he didn't realize that it was a good thing. The agents who were sent to follow him became confused at the route he took and decided to head to the streets that would lead out of Karakura Town. Keigo, however, didn't realize that he was heading towards the Central 46 Rotunda.

He rode as hard as he could and then he saw someone ride in front of him, blocking his path. His horse reared up, tossing him from his saddle. He landed hard on his back and moaned in pain. He looked at the tall man dismounting his horse. He stroked his bushy mustache and seemed to smile.

"I am terribly sorry," Giriko said. "It seems as though the Pinkerton Agency is after you for some reason. It's a good thing I found you first."

_Karakura Hotel_

"What do you mean?" Ukitake asked.

"I mean that the people of Karakura Town have lost their faith in us," Byakuya said as he pressed the damp cloth to his forehead. "I tried to maintain order, but I got hit with a rock for my trouble."

"This isn't good," Kyoraku said. "Have you heard anything from Renji or Rukia?"

"No, and that is disturbing," Byakuya said, doing his best to maintain his composure. "I'll go to the Goods Station and see if they're still there."

"Alright, Unohana, please go to the Ranch. The others should be there," Ukitake said.

"Alright," Unohana said.

"You should go with her," Kyoraku said. "I'll take care of things here and then head out as well."

"Wow, that's quite surprising," Ukitake said. "You're normally the one who wouldn't offer to take care of things."

"Yeah, well, it just makes sense. I would hate for a lady to go off by herself. And don't start arguing with me, Captain Unohana. You know you want to take a ride with Ukitake after your little ride last night."

"KYORAKU!" Ukitake cried out while Unohana blushed.

"Now is not the time," Byakuya said.

"Actually, now is the time to be making jokes," Kyoraku said. "When things get dark, it's always good to share some laughs."

_Pinkerton Agency_

Tsukishima stood in front of the window and watched as the sky turned into a sapphire blue.

"Sir, we caught one of them."

"Thank you, please send him in," Tsukishima said as he fingered his dagger.

"Yes sir," the agent said.

Tsukishima turned as Mizuiro was brought in. He gestured for the agents to leave. After closing the door he turned to face Mizuiro.

"Please, have a seat."

"Why am I here?"

"I know that you've been working with traitors against the Gensei Provinces," Tsukishima said. "However, you probably didn't realize that those you were working with were traitors."

"W-what are you talking about?"

"Ah…so you didn't know. I have evidence that reveals that the Captains who came here knew about the attacks and were working with Coyote Starrk to help bring it about," Tsukishima said as he took out a thick file from one of the cabinets.

_How long did it take you to make that? _Mizuiro thought.

"You doubt it," Tsukishima said.

Mizuiro looked startled at that. He looked at Tsukishima who was looking at him. He looked at the sheet of paper that his agents took off of Mizuiro when they captured him. He was not surprised that it was only the sheet with the list of names. However, the list that could point things back to the Great Betrayal was still out there. He wasn't too worried about it since most refused to acknowledge it as fact.

"Now, Mizuiro, I want you to listen very carefully," he said. "I understand that you believed your friend Tatsuki and that you trusted her. However, you must understand that Miss Arisawa is not who you think she is."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's all there in the file," Tsukishima said. "I was surprised when I read it. It turns out that some of the evidence brought against Ichigo and Isshin Kurosaki may have been fabricated."

"Are you suggesting that Tatsuki would falsify evidence? Why? What would she have to gain?" Tsukishima glared at him. "How do I know that you didn't falsify this information?"

"You're upset. You don't…"

"I do know. I know that you're involved with a plot against the Gensei Provinces. The name Aizen came up and I know he's Shadow Lurker and that you're involved. I think that you're going to deny all ties with Aizen and betray him. That way you could gain more power than anyone could possibly imagine. You'll have all of Karakura Town wrapped around your finger and they'll follow you. You're using Aizen just as Aizen thinks he's using you."

"Do you have any evidence of this?"

"We have the testimony of…"

"…of two Arrancars, no, two ESPADAS!" Tsukishima roared, grinning. "Do you really think anyone would believe them? You know. I was really hoping that you would back down. I was hoping that you would have the sense to say that you believed me. I would have let you leave here alive. But…it's unfortunate when it's discovered that someone you trusted could betray you."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm saying that it's such a tragedy. You bought into their bullshit so much that you decided to help them regardless of evidence to the contrary. You just couldn't take it and so…"

Tsukishima grabbed Mizuiro's gun and fired it into the wall. Tsukishima drew his own gun and shot Mizuiro in the head.

"…and so…I had to kill you in self-defense," he said, and smiled at Mizuiro's corpse as he placed Mizuiro's gun in his hand. "It's such a pity."

_Senkaimon Goods Station_

Byakuya did not see anyone. He kept his eyes and ears open. However, all was silent. He made his way carefully among the cars and stopped. He rushed over to the first corpse on the ground. He knelt beside the body of someone dressed in a suit. He reached into the man's pocket and saw that the man was one of the Pinkerton Agents who was sent here.

_What is this?_ He thought.

Byakuya turned his head and saw the red-hair of Renji Abarai. His mouth dropped open slightly and he felt uneasy. He got up and rushed to where Renji's body laid on the ground. He tried to find any sign of any other bodies.

_Oh God, Rukia. Please…don't let Rukia be dead._

However, he couldn't find Rukia. He found Isshin's body, clutching a gun, along with the corpses of two more Pinkerton Agents. His mind tried to work out what happened. His mind told him that a gun fight took place here and Renji and Isshin were casualties, but something didn't feel right about it.

_This was staged._

He couldn't figure out how this could be. However, he knew that someone with a fiendishly clever mind was behind this. There was only one person he met in Karakura Town who could have thought of something like this.

"Tsukishima," he whispered. "You were somehow behind this, but I don't know how."

He looked at the station. His instincts told him to go in. The odds were not good that he would find someone, but he had to make sure.

_Holding Area_

Ichigo got up. His face was pale and his eyes were glazed. He looked at the bars and then at his belt.

_I'm finished._

_Yes you are. You no longer have anything to fight for._

_Yuzu and Karin…I still have…_

_How do you know they're not dead?_

_They can't be dead. They're the only family I have left. Without them I…_

_That's right. You don't have a reason to keep fighting. Why don't you admit defeat? End it all._

_Yes, I have to…I have to end it all._

Ichigo unbuckled his belt.

"I have to end it," he whispered.

He looped the belt around his neck.

"I have to end it."

He looped the end of the belt through the bars and tied it as tight has he could.

"I have to end it. I have to end…"

He allowed himself to fall forward. The makeshift noose tightened.

"ICHIGO!"

He felt hands pulling him back. He couldn't understand it. He was the one who was supposed to die. So why was he being denied? He felt arms wrap around him and he looked down. Tears filled his eyes.

"Y-Yuzu," he whispered.

"What the Hell were you trying to do? Why were you doing that?"

He turned and saw Karin staring at him.

"K-Karin," he said. "I…I…I…"

He couldn't finish. He felt someone loosen the noose and lift it over his head.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, this is not the way I would have expected you to act. Why would you want to do this when your sisters need you?"

Ichigo turned and saw Byakuya looking at him. He couldn't say anything. He couldn't tell of how he failed. Tears filled his eyes.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"Ichigo, where's Rukia? Tell me where my sister is."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry…"

It was the only thing that Ichigo could say.

"Alright," Byakuya said. "Come on. We're leaving."

_Central 46 Rotunda_

Tsukishima looked out over the crowd of those gathered. His agents stood at attention. Expectant faces looked up at him. He knew that the Gotei dogs must be out there and if they were, they would be in for a surprise. He sighed and looked at those assembled on the steps and in the streets.

"Citizens of Karakura Town," he began. "We are living in the darkest times that we have known. A little over five months ago, the ten Espada tried to invade Karakura Town and they were driven back. Now, Fort Seireitei has fallen.

"I ask you. Is this coincidence?"

Tsukishima looked out. People were muttering among themselves. He maintained his composure, fighting the urge to smile. They were scared and looking for answers. He would provide them the ones he wanted. Mizuiro had come too close to figuring it out. He wondered about that, but then decided that he merely guessed. However, guess or not, it was too close to his plans.

"NO!" someone shouted.

He looked and saw one of his men in the crowd. Tsukishima looked at the crowd. It was exactly what he expected. Mob mentality was so easy to manipulate. All that one had to do was yell out an answer at the right moment. If you did it too soon, then the more reasonable minds would wonder about it, but if you did it too late, then the masses wouldn't understand. And his man had got it at the right moment.

The cry went out.

"As much as I would like to say that is not the case, unfortunately, I cannot. We have been tracking the identity of who Shadow Lurker could be. While Ichigo and Isshin Kurosaki were not Shadow Lurker, and were therefore innocent on that matter, they were still traitors. They were part of a conspiracy that I never thought possible.

"I have just received word from my agents who were in Fort Seireitei and managed to escape that the true Shadow Lurker was…Souske Aizen."

The cry went up. There were shouts of denials. However, even the denials were hesitant.

"Alas, it is true," Tsukishima said. "I never would have thought that the 'Hero of Karakura Town' would be the vilest figure the Gensei Provinces have faced. Unfortunately, his vile deeds were not done alone."

"WHO ELSE?"

"TELL US!"

"LET'S STRING 'EM UP!"

"He would need people on the inside," Tsukishima said. "I regret to inform you that those insiders were some of the Captains in the Gotei. My sources were only able to get one name, Captain Byakuya Kuchiki."

The crowd went wild at that. Some were shouting his immediate execution and others were saying that if Byakuya was involved then the others must be involved as well.

_Ah, the masses,_ Tsukishima thought. _How I hate them and yet love them._

Watching from the refuge of the shadows of one of the side-streets, Kyoraku listened and watched. He frowned and knew that the others would have to know about this as soon as possible. He turned his horse and made his way out of Karakura Town. However, Tsukishima's betrayal of Aizen could be used to their advantage. They just needed to find out how.

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

Starrk stood on the porch with Harribel. They watched Byakuya approaching. He had hitched his horse to a small cart and was leading it onto the ranch. He sighed and ran a hand through his brown hair. Things were not looking too good. Orihime and Ulquiorra were still recovering. Two fighters had fallen before the war even really began in Karakura Town. Now, it looked as though there was more bad news.

"Bel, I think the time has come," he said.

"Are you sure?" Harribel asked.

"Yes."

"Alright, I'll talk with the others."

Starrk nodded. When Harribel went to gather the others, Starrk looked at the approaching figures.

_I don't know if we can pull it off,_ he thought. _However, we can't back down now._

_Fort Seireitei_

Aizen watched as the last of the Bala-Class Shooters were put onto the trains. The remaining men in his forces boarded the train.

"Sir, I got a message from one of Zommari's men," Gantenbainne said.

"Well, what is it?"

"He said that Tsukishima just named you as Shadow Lurker to Karakura Town. He's preparing the citizens to fight against us."

"I thought so," Aizen said, smiling. "That means that things are on track."

"Sir?"

"He thinks that he's using me, but I'm the one using him. I knew that he would most likely betray me. Send a message to Zommari's agents. Let them know to let Tsukishima continue his little coup. When we arrive, we'll bring it crashing down around him."

Gantenbainne nodded.

"As you wish," he said. "I also received word from the Arrancar Army. They will arrive at the Garganta Pass tomorrow evening and be ready to march on Karakura Town at dawn the next day."

"That means they'll be a little early," Aizen said, smiling. "However, they will keep the forces in Karakura Town busy while we attack from the rear. Not even Tsukishima could prepare them for that."

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

Ichigo sat on the porch. Yuzu and Karin were outside with Lilynette, who was doing her best to help them grieve for their father. Based on the sounds coming from outside, she was succeeding. He heard footsteps and saw Starrk approaching.

"What do you want? Are you here to gloat?"

"Why would I want to gloat?" Starrk asked. "I'm not going to beat around the bush with you. I don't have the time for that. I just…"

"Why don't you just say it? I'm a fool. I failed. Renji, Dad, Rukia…their blood is on my hand."

"I thought that Miss Kuchiki was still alive."

"She might as well be dead. That bastard, Zommari, injected her with Brujería in something he called 'Euforia Absoluta'. She's not Rukia anymore."

Starrk looked at Ichigo and shook his head.

"So, what are you going to do about it?"

"What can I do? I failed. I can't…"

"DAMN IT, KUROSAKI! Are you really that stupid?" Starrk asked. "You can't change the past, but you can change the future. You can fight. You can stand up and do what needs to be done. You still have your sisters and as long as Rukia is alive there's always a chance that you can protect her. Now, I need to know. Will you fight?"

"I…I don't know if I can."

"You can. You think you're a failure? You're only a failure if you don't try. If you try and fail, then all that you can do is learn from your failure and rise above it. Tell me, Ichigo. Are you a failure or are you a fighter?"

Ichigo looked at Starrk.

"Why are you trying to get me to help fight your battle?"

"Is it just my battle? I would think that you would understand. Aizen seeks to destroy the Gensei Provinces for vengeance. Who do you think will suffer for his vendetta? Didn't your father die in his vengeance? How many do you think lost their loved ones already? If you don't think that this isn't just my fight, then you're a bigger idiot than I thought. It's _our_ fight."

Ichigo looked at Starrk and then to the two graves.

_An Arrancar and a member of the Visored Squad,_ he thought. _Both died fighting against Aizen's vendetta._

"I see," Ichigo said.

"Do you?"

"I do. I see it now."

_Dad, you tried to tell me, but I was too arrogant to listen._

"Then tell me. What is your decision?"

Ichigo looked up at the sky. He looked at Starrk. Their eyes locked and Starrk knew that Ichigo had his resolve.

"I have decided," Ichigo said. "I have a promise I need to keep. I will fight."

**End of Chapter 15**

**A.N.: The end game is fast approaching. Very soon, decisions will have to be made, but all sides have crossed the Rubicon by this point.**

**The next chapter will be a flashback chapter.**

**Thank you for reading and please review.**


	16. Chapter 16: Memories in the Rain

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 16: Memories in the Rain**

_Karakura Town, Sixteen Years Before_

He remembered rain.

The cold wind blew against his face as the drops fell on him.

"Oh, are you getting wet?" his mother asked him as she leaned over the carriage. "Here, let me get this up for you."

Her face was obscured by the carriage's covering. The rain fell gently on its cloth fabric, singing him a lullaby. He loved the sound of the rain as it hit the fabric.

"Is that better, Ichigo?"

The two-year old Ichigo Kurosaki was asleep. Masaki looked down on her sleeping son and smiled.

_Hanging Dog, Fourteen Years Before_

She remembered the hands that picked her up from the muddy streets. The storm was beginning to die down, but the water still flowed along their course, carving scars into the dirt road.

"Are you alright, Rukia?" her big sister asked as she picked her up. "Oh dear, your new dress is all muddied."

Rukia couldn't fight back the tears. Her knee hurt and Hisana seemed to know.

"Oh dear, you've got a little boo-boo," Hisana whispered and kissed the sore spot, not afraid of getting her own dress dirty from the mud. "There…all better."

She hugged her little sister.

She was about to reach for the sack of groceries she had bought when she saw a hand reach for it.

"Would you like some help, Ma'am?"

Hisana looked at the young man. His black hair was shortly cropped and he was wearing a Gotei Officer's uniform. She felt her face go red when she looked into his slate grey eyes.

"Oh no, sir, I…I can get it."

"Are you sure? I would say that your hands are kind of full already," he said, smiling. "Is she your daughter?"

"She's my younger sister. Her name's Rukia."

"Rukia, that's a rather nice name," he said and held out a finger to Rukia who tried to grab it. The young man smiled. "What's your name?"

"I'm…Hisana."

"Another nice name. I'm afraid my name isn't as sweet-sounding as yours."

"Is that so? Then please, tell me what your name is and I'll be the judge of that."

"My name's Byakuya Kuchiki."

_Karakura Town, Thirteen Years Before_

"A transfer?" Masaki Kurosaki asked.

"That's right," Isshin said as he held out the telegram. "I'm being transferred to Fort Seireitei to fill the vacant Captain position for Squad 10. It'll mean more pay for when the baby comes." He put his hand on Masaki's ever-expanding stomach and smiled. "Do you think it'll be a boy or a girl?"

"Girl. My instincts are telling me that the occupant is a girl."

Masaki put her own hands on her pregnant stomach. She turned to look at Ichigo who was playing Soldiers-and-Arrancars with his tin soldiers.

"Either way, our little Ichigo will be a big brother. Also…I saw Dr. Ishida and he…he heard two heartbeats."

"Do…do you mean…twins? We're going to have twins?"

"That's what he said and…and they sound healthy."

"Well, how about that?"

Ichigo looked up from his play to look at his parents. He got to his feet and waddled quickly to his parents. Isshin and Masaki looked down at him and Isshin picked him up.

"Well, there's our Big Boy," he said, grinning. "Ichigo, how would you like to see some real Gotei soldiers, eh?"

Ichigo nodded, excited at the idea.

_Hanging Dog, Twelve Years Before_

"And do you take this man to be your husband in the sight of Society and in accordance with the Laws of the Gensei Provinces?"

"I do," Hisana said as she looked into Byakuya Kuchiki's eyes.

"And do you take this woman to be your wife in the sight of Society and in accordance with the Laws of the Gensei Provinces?" the District Justice asked.

"I do," Byakuya answered.

The District Justice picked up the two silk ribbons of gold and blue and wrapped them over the hands that were touching palm-to-palm.

"By the power given to me by the Laws of the Gensei Provinces, I hereby declare that you are now Byakuya and Hisana Kuchiki. You may seal your bond with a kiss."

Rukia fidgeted slightly as the ceremony progressed. She looked at her sister, eager for the banquet that was waiting outside. When the organ music started playing she felt Hisana's hand touch her shoulder to signal her to walk down the aisle to the main doors. She was glad that the boring part was over and hoped that what some of the other kids told her was true about there being cake.

Rukia walked next to the ring bearer, who was the son of one of Officers in Byakuya's unit. He had strangely maroon red hair that framed his face. She saw that he looked as bored as she felt while all of the grown-ups looked at her sister with awe-filled faces.

When they got outside into the sunlight, Rukia raced to the tables with the food already spread out. The wedding guests were starting line up at the tables to fill the china plates with food and the glasses with wine or tea.

"Agh, this stupid thing itches," the boy said as he loosened the collar of his shirt a bit. He stopped and noticed Rukia trailing him. "What do you want?"

"Why do you have such funny hair?"

The boy looked annoyed at that.

"My hair's not funny. It's perfectly normal."

"Oh. Would you like to play with me?"

"Why would I want to play with a girl? You're covered in cooties."

"I am not covered in cooties. Uh…what are cooties?"

"I don't know. I only know girls are covered with them."

Rukia looked at him slightly confused.

"If you don't know what cooties are, then how do you know I'm covered in them?"

It was a rather profound thought.

"Well…I guess you're okay. At least…I don't see any cooties. But if I get cooties, then I'll never forgive you. Deal?"

"Deal," Rukia said happily. "My name's Rukia. What's yours?"

"Renji."

_Fort Seireitei, Ten Years Before_

Ichigo Kurosaki was mesmerized by the marching Gotei soldiers. His father's stories made him imagine riding in the Borderlands, fighting off the Arrancar bandits who came in from the Hueco Mundo wastes. He was dressed in a child's version of the Gotei uniform. He hardly ever took it off, except to let his mother wash it or when he was about to go to bed, but only because she told him that a true Gotei soldier always keeps his uniform nice and clean.

"ATTENTION," one of the drill masters shouted.

The soldiers stood at attention. Ichigo was fascinated by inspection. He saw his dad standing in front of the troops of Squad 10.

"SALUTE."

The soldiers and the Captains saluted as Genryusai Yamamoto made his way to the platform to look over them. Ichigo had heard so many stories about Yamamoto and how he had led the Gotei to victory by pushing an invading force of Arrancars back at the Garganta Pass. He had heard about how Yamamoto pursued Baraggan Luisenbarn deep into the Wastes. But he had to turn back because the posse had run low on supplies.

But the adventures that Yamamoto had during his pursuit of the "King of the Wastes" were the things that young boys dreamed of. They were filled with savage Arrancars and beautiful young women who would either help or hinder the hero on their quest. And then there were the tribes of Arrancars who could actually talk with animals and knew how to "read the land".

Yamamoto's own account had mentioned a tribe that could talk with wolves and had tried to kill him. Fortunately, Yamamoto had enough men and firepower to fight them off and the tribe had been forced to flee. In another, Yamamoto had encountered a young woman who could read trails and had directed him to one of Baraggan's hideouts. Unfortunately, by the time they had arrived, Baraggan had already fled.

"Ah, I see you're back."

Ichigo turned and smiled as Souske Aizen approached him.

"Good day, Sargent Aizen, sir," he said and saluted.

Aizen chuckled a little and gave his own salute in return.

"At ease, Private Kurosaki," he replied. He stood next to Ichigo. "I understand your father is getting transferred back to Karakura Town."

"Yeah," Ichigo moaned. "I don't wanna leave. I like it here just fine."

"That may be, but orders are orders. Your father has received his orders and you have to obey them as well. After all, he is your superior officer."

"I know. I know," Ichigo whined.

Aizen smiled at him.

"If you want to be in the Gotei, then you better learn to obey orders. Obeying orders is a top priority for any soldier. After all, everyone knows that bad little children who disobeyed their parents grew-up to be Arrancars. Do you want to grow-up to be an Arrancar?"

Ichigo shook his head and Aizen nodded and rubbed his hair.

"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have my own orders to obey."

"What kind of orders?"

"Oh, you know, top secret orders," Aizen said smiling. "I need to get them done or else I'll get in trouble. You wouldn't want me to get in trouble now would you?"

"No sir," Ichigo replied.

Aizen nodded.

"Good. Now, you be a good little soldier and mind your father."

"Uh…Mr. Aizen."

"Yes?"

"Uh…is it hard to…to get into the Gotei?"

Aizen cocked an eyebrow at him. He smiled and shook his head.

"Not really. You just need to be in good health. And that means listening to your mother and eating your vegetables. Got it?"

"Yes sir," Ichigo said, giving another salute.

Aizen smiled.

"The innocence of youth," he whispered. "It's such a pity that it's so fragile." Aizen continued on his way and Ichigo wondered what Aizen meant by what he said.

_Hanging Dog, Ten Years Before_

"How is she?" Byakuya asked.

Ryuken Ishida sighed and shook his head as he sat down at the table.

"I'm afraid it's not good. She has the bloody cough."

"I see. Is there…is there any hope for her?"

Ryuken sighed.

"It's hard to say. Some people get over it, but most, especially this far west, don't. And there's no known cure for it."

"Doctor Ishida, how…how long does she have?"

"I don't know for sure, but…I would have to say it won't be much longer. I would advise that you talk to her sister about this. That way, she'll be prepared."

"How do I tell Rukia that her sister is going to die?"

"You just tell her. That's what I did with my own son shortly before his mother died."

Byakuya looked at him and looked down the hall to the door that led to his and Hisana's bedroom.

"Tell me. How did you get over it?"

Ryuken stayed silent and shook his head.

"I never did. Every time I look at Uryu, I see too much of his mother. And whenever you look at Rukia, will she remind you of Hisana too much for you to bear?"

Byakuya did not say anything. Instead, his eyes returned to the hall and he saw that the door to Rukia's room was slightly open.

"Excuse me, but…I need to see my wife."

"I understand."

Byakuya got up from the table and walked towards the master bedroom. He paused outside of Rukia's room and pressed his ear against the door. He could hear Rukia sobbing inside, which was not surprising. Ever since the bloody cough broke out in Hanging Dog, he had feared this day. So far, fifteen people they knew well had died. Soon, that number would become sixteen.

He closed his eyes and continued his way down the hall until he reached the door to the room where his wife would spend her final days. He opened the door and saw her lying in their bed. Her face was pale and covered in sweat. Her lips were stained with blood. But her violet eyes were still as lively as ever.

"Oh…Byakuya…I…"

"There's no need to talk," Byakuya said as he approached the bed. He sat in the chair and took one of her hands in his. "You need your rest. Doctor Ishida told me that…"

"I know. I don't have long, do I?"

Byakuya shook his head as he stroked her hand. Hisana closed her eyes.

"What am I going to tell Rukia? I was so looking forward to celebrating her eighth birthday. Will I…at least live long enough to celebrate one final birthday with her?"

"I…I don't know," Byakuya said, tears coming to his eyes.

"Hey now," Hisana whispered as she reached up to touch his face. "I don't think I've ever seen you cry before."

"I'm sorry. But I…I…I…"

"I know."

Hisana suddenly broke out into another fit of heavy coughing. When she took her hand away, Byakuya saw that thick gobs of blood mixed with dead tissue coated the palm. He sat on the bed and held it in his own as he wiped it clean with his handkerchief.

"You need to rest. I'll fix some stew as well if you like."

"That would be nice. Byakuya…"

"Yes?"

"How's Rukia taking all of this?"

"She's…taking it hard."

"I figured she would. I want you to promise me to look after her. Do what you can for her when I'm gone."

Byakuya wanted to protest. He wanted to tell her that she would get better. He knew that she was strong. When they argued, she held her own and more times than not he had to back down. There was no way that she would allow this disease to beat her. And yet, he knew that the disease was beating her. Her spirit was as strong as it had always been, but her body was breaking down.

All that he could do now was to make her final days as peaceful as possible.

"I will, but…"

She put a finger over his lips and smiled at him.

"You'll endure."

Byakuya wanted to say something, but he found himself unable to. All that he could do was stroke her hand as she lay dying, coughing up blood.

_Hanging Dog, Nine Years Before_

Rukia knelt in front of the grave under the oak tree. She traced her sister's name, engraved in the stone.

"Hey, Rukia, how…how are you doing?"

She turned and saw Renji.

"What are you doing here?"

"I…uh…I came to see how you're doing."

"Well…things are just…you know…"

"Yeah…uh…"

Rukia looked at Renji, wondering why he was so nervous around her. She had noticed over the past couple of weeks that Renji's behavior had changed when he was around her. Sometimes he would look down at his feet or seem distracted by something that wasn't there. It was almost as though he was too afraid to look at her. She hoped that it wasn't because he thought she was still mourning her sister.

She had been sad at her passing, but she had stopped mourning a while ago. Byakuya, however, had seemed to become more distant. There were days when he didn't even acknowledge her. That hurt her more than her sister's death. And now it seemed as though Renji was also becoming more distant. That thought made her sad.

"Hey, did I…did I do something wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying," Rukia said as she wiped away her tears.

"But…uh…well…"

"What do you want, Renji?"

"Well, tomorrow is Día de los Muertos and…uh…I…I was wondering if you would like to go to the festival with me. I figured that you might need to have some fun."

Rukia blinked a few times. She couldn't have possibly heard right. Was Renji actually inviting her to go to the Día de los Muertos festival with him? Her mind processed the request and she realized that Renji was not nervous around her because he was distancing himself from her.

_Then why is he so nervous around me? Could it be that…that maybe he likes me?_

She had heard some of the girls at the schoolhouse mutter amongst themselves. Most of the conversations were on some of the latest fashions back in Fort Seireitei or in the cities along the Eastern Sea. But others concerned which boys they had a crush on or which boys had a crush on them. And one of the tell-tale signs that a boy had a crush on them was that they would sometimes get nervous or want to show-off around them. The possibility that Renji had a crush on her brought a mixture of varying emotions: amusement, fear, curiosity, confusion.

She knew that she liked Renji as a friend. However, as far as whether or not she could like Renji as more than a friend…

_Well, I guess over time I might be able to feel the same way,_ she thought.

"Sure, I'd like to go with you," she said.

_Karakura Town, Six Years Before_

The rain fell heavily as Masaki and Ichigo walked down the street. She kept a tight hold on her umbrella and held it over both of them while Ichigo carried the box of groceries. Ichigo was looking forward to getting home to help his mother fix her home-made stew for dinner. He knew that Yuzu would want to help as well. His six-year old little sister was eager to learn how to cook while Karin was more interested in playing stick ball or climbing trees.

"So are you still thinking of joining the Gotei when you get older?"

"Uh-huh. I want to be like Dad and grow-up to become an Officer, perhaps even Captain-Commander."

"Well, I'm sure that you can if you work really hard and…" There was a crash of lightning. "Oh dear, this storm is getting really bad. I hope it lets up soon or else the river might overflow again."

Ichigo and his mother walked farther and then they heard hooves. It was nothing unusual. Even in storms, there were people out and about in Karakura Town. The quickness of the hoof-steps was not unusual either. They were most likely travelers who were in search of a place to get out of the rain or the horses were spooked by the thunder.

"Let's get out of the road," Masaki said. "The riders are…"

"ARRANCARS!" someone screamed. "ARRANCARS!"

"What?" Masaki asked and then her eyes widened when she saw the riders.

The rider in the lead was a large, broad-shouldered man with a wide face. His bald head was tattooed. The riders with him were shooting at various passers-by. They laughed as the shot down anyone who got in their way.

Ichigo looked at the man in terror. The box of groceries fell from his hands and fell to the ground. He had seen the Wanted posters and knew who this man was: Fisher Grand. He looked in their direction and aimed his revolver at Ichigo. Ichigo froze as fear took hold of him.

"ICHIGO!" Masaki yelled as she stepped in front of him as Fisher Grand fired.

The gunshot was drowned by the thunder. Masaki's body jerked as the bullet struck her. Ichigo watched in shock as his mother staggered and fell. Fisher Grand smiled and aimed the revolver again. However, he jerked up as the sound of more horses approached. A group of Gotei soldiers who were heading towards the Borderlands only to have to stay in Karakura Town due to the storm came riding from one of the main streets.

"Damn," Fisher Grand snarled and then grinned as he looked at Ichigo. "Some other time, kid," he said and he and his gang rode hard to escape.

Ichigo stood stunned and then looked at his mother.

"Mom," he whispered. "Mommy." He knelt beside her and shook her. "Mommy, are…are you…are you…?"

His mother opened her eyes a little and smiled weakly at him.

"There's…my…little…man," she said. "I'm…glad…"

Ichigo then noticed the spreading stain of blood spreading from her abdomen. He felt his mother's fingers stroking his face.

"Mom," Ichigo whispered. "HEY! SOMEBODY HELP!" he shouted.

"Ichigo."

"Just hang on Mom. Help is on the way."

She only shook her head weakly.

"Take…care…" she whispered. "Mommy's…gotta go."

"No. You don't have to die. You don't."

Masaki didn't say anything. Instead she ran her fingers through his hair. Ichigo lowered his face to her and she kissed his brow.

"Be brave. Mommy…loves…you," she whispered.

Her hand went from his hair and wiped away a tear. He felt the hand stiffen a little and then go limp. There was a soft splash as the hand fell into a growing puddle

"Mom." There was no response. "Mommy, please…please…no…no…we need you. We…" But it wouldn't do any good. His mother was dead. He thought of his Dad, Yuzu, and Karin. How would they react when they found out that the woman who was the center of their universe was gone?

Ichigo didn't know. The uncertainty frightened him and made him feel as though the world was crumbling around him. He could hear other cries and the sound of fading gunfire in between peals of thunder. Then, he knew what he had to do.

He touched his mother's face.

"I promise," he whispered. "I will join the Gotei so that…that way I can protect everyone."

He felt his tears run down his face, mixed with the rain.

_Fort Seireitei, Seven Years Before_

"Welcome new recruits," the Academy President said. "Today, you begin a new venture as you begin training to join the Gotei. Here, in the Gotei, you are all part of the same body. It does not matter which of the Gensei Provinces you're from or if you're from the Borderlands. It does not matter which family you belong to or if you're an orphan. When you are in the Gotei, you must learn to be able to trust the soldier to your left and the soldier to your right and the solider behind and ahead of you. We act as a unit.

"If you are able to act as a unit, then you will succeed. But if you are unable to cooperate with your fellow soldiers, then you will be cut. This is the world of the military: act as a cohesive unit or be overrun.

"You are dismissed."

The new recruits to the Academy began to chatter among themselves. Ichigo looked around at some of the other students and sighed. Even though he had spent most of his youth in Fort Seireitei, he felt more like a stranger. There were no familiar faces around, except for some of the Officers who were looking at the students as though weighing them.

He opened his entrance packet to see which Barracks he would be placed in as well as his schedule of classes. He wished that his Dad and sisters could have come, but Isshin was too busy with official Gotei assignments in Karakura Town. He hoped they could come to visit soon.

"Now then, let's see. Classes start tomorrow. Today is just an opportunity for us to meet our fellow students and settle into our barracks. Hmm, it looks like I'm in Barracks 3."

He looked at the map and realized that he only had vague memories of the city. As a child, he had only known the Officers' Sector and the parade grounds. But now, as a student, he was starting to realize just how big Fort Seireitei really was. He had always thought that the Academy would be one campus, but it was composed of about six different campuses with each campus emphasizing a different subject. Once a student had declared their intended area of study, they would be transferred to that campus.

In the meantime, all first year recruits were placed to the Entrant's Campus. It was the only campus where all six different areas of study (reconnaissance, military research and development, field operations and logistics, medical training, military law, and political science) were taught. The campus itself was composed of eight different structures surrounding the central parade ground. Four of the structures were barracks where the recruits would be staying. Two more of the buildings were where the classes were held. The final two structures were a gymnasium and a mess hall.

Ichigo saw that some of the new recruits were already mingling with each other. But he didn't feel like mingling just now. He wanted to see some of the old places he knew when he was younger. He wanted to see someone familiar like Kyoraku or Ukitake or even Unohana. They always got along fine with his mother and father and would sometimes stop by for dinner.

He decided he would go to his barracks and get settled. He picked up his suitcase and knapsack and made his way through the clusters of recruits. Some of them were gathering their own things to head to their respective barracks. Once they got their things put away, they would be allowed to explore the campus as well as some of the nearby shops.

But Ichigo thought he would just stay in his dorm and probably take a nap before the welcoming banquet when they would get to meet their professors. Sometimes, a high ranking Officer would come to greet the new recruits and answer some of their questions. Ichigo wondered if he would see one of his father's old friends.

He wasn't paying any attention to where he was going and so he did not see the raven-haired girl walking across his path until he ran into her. They both cried out in surprise as they bumped into each other. They both took a couple of steps backward.

"Ow, watch where you're going," the girl said.

"You're the one who should have watched where they were going," Ichigo replied.

"Are you kidding? You were the one who was walking like someone in a day-dream. Sheesh, why is it that boys are always so arrogant?"

"What are you talking about? I'm not arrogant."

"Oh yeah, then why don't you want to admit that you were the one who wasn't watching where they were going?"

"Well…uh…if you were looking where you were going then you wouldn't have bumped into me."

"Oh please, you both bumped into each other at the same time."

Ichigo turned and saw the cranberry red-haired boy watching them.

"Stay out of this Renji," the girl snarled. "It's clear that this klutz ran into me," she said and pointed at Ichigo.

"Rukia…"

"Renji, whose side are you on?"

"Well…uh…"

Ichigo saw the glare on Rukia's face and he sighed. He really didn't want to get into trouble this early in his career. The only thing he could do was just apologize and hope this girl would get off his back.

"Fine," Ichigo said. "I give up. It's my fault. I should have been paying attention to where I was going."

"Well…this is a miracle. A boy has actually admitted that they were wrong."

"Now, now, Rukia, there's no need to exaggerate. I'm sorry, we haven't properly introduced ourselves. I'm Renji Abarai."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Ichigo Kurosaki. I think that our fathers work together in Karakura Town."

"YEAH! I thought your name sounded familiar. Well, at least your last name sounded familiar."

"Whatever, anyways, I'm Rukia."

"Rukia," Ichigo said and shook her hand.

"Her last name's Kuchiki," Renji whispered. "Her family owns Chappy's Smiles."

"No way, my sisters love their candy. Hey, do you think you can hook me up with a discount? I know that Yuzu and Karin would absolutely love some of those Chappy's Vanilla-Caramel Chews for their birthday."

"Tch…what makes you think I would?"

"Oh come on, we're gonna be classmates."

"True, but that doesn't mean I have to just start handing out discounts."

Renji could only shake his head while suppressing a laugh.

_The Borderlands, Five Years Before_

Rukia Kuchiki sighed as she sat on a large boulder. The in-field practicum was proving to be a bigger pain in the ass than she had bargained for, but that was alright. It gave her an opportunity to get out of Fort Seireitei and the academy grounds for a bit. She watched as Captain Ukitake and Lieutenant Kaien Shiba were making their way through the camp to make sure that the cadets were doing a good job on setting up the tents and also getting sentry duty appointed.

She looked at the plate of beans, salted ham, and cornbread and sighed.

"Well, it's better than hardtack and jerky," she whispered.

She heard the sound of footsteps approaching and looked up to see Ichigo Kurosaki making his way to her with his own plate of food and mug of lukewarm water.

"I don't think that the life of a soldier is for me," he said as he sat down.

"Then why did you even bother to stay in the academy?"

"Well, once I start something I always like to see it through." He stayed silent for a moment and sighed. "I wonder how Renji's doing."

"Oh, that's right, he got sent with Captain Aizen somewhere in the south," Rukia said. "Well, I'm sure he's doing fine."

"That's not what I meant. I mean about how he's handling his father's death," Ichigo said.

"I…don't really know. It's only been three months since he got the news and it's hard to say where he's at." She paused for a moment and then continued, "He and I have been friends for about as long as I can remember."

"Is that so?"

"Yes and…and he was there for me after my sister died. He helped me to be able to move on. I wish he was here. That way we would know for sure if he's getting through this time."

"I never realized that you and Renji were that close."

"He's like an older brother to me, more so than Byakuya."

"Why would you say that?"

"He turned down my application to do the in-field practice with him."

"I'm sure he had his reasons. I mean…whatever reason he had are his own. But that doesn't mean he loves you any less. You're his sister. How could any brother not love their sister? I love both of my sisters. I mean, sure they sometimes get on my nerves, but we're family."

"You're probably right. He probably wanted me to be able to get by without him. But most likely he thought that I would probably get in his way."

"Well…I don't know about that."

"Obviously you don't know Byakuya Kuchiki. He doesn't allow anyone or anything to get close to him anymore. After my sister died he…he became more distant. I sometimes feel that we're not family anymore. We're just two strangers who happen to have the same last name and that's it."

Ichigo looked at her. He could see the pain in her eyes and a part of him wanted to embrace her.

_Gods, why are you thinking about that? Rukia's just a friend. She's nothing more than that. Besides, she has Renji._

Ichigo blinked a couple of times in surprise. He had no idea why that thought had entered his mind.

_Fort Seireitei, Four Years Before_

The Gotei anthem was playing as Rukia marched out onto the main parade ground. The gold cord of an Honored Cadet was tied around her waist, over the black leather belt. She had to fight the urge to look towards the Officers' box where Byakuya was sitting, wearing his new Captain stripes. She hoped that he would be proud of her for graduating in the top tier of her class.

As she marched out, she caught sight of Ichigo standing at attention. Despite the number of times he had gotten in trouble with the administration, he had also received the Honored Cadet cord. She was not surprised that Renji had come rushing to her earlier to inform her that he had also received the gold cord. She remembered how Renji reacted to the loss of his father in an Arrancar ambush. He had become more determined to make the Abarai name proud. Before, he had been somewhat lax in his assignments and, like Ichigo, tended to get in trouble. She had been the one to make sure they did not get expelled in the first year.

_And now we're graduating among the top of our class,_ she thought with a bit of pride.

As she marched to the front row where the Honored Cadets stood at attention, she allowed her eyes to glance to where Byakuya stood. She couldn't be sure, but she thought that he only gave her a brief glance before looking away.

"Don't let it get to you," Ichigo whispered from beside her. "Besides, Renji and I are here for you. We've got your back."

Rukia didn't say anything. Instead, she only gave him a slight smile. She knew that Ichigo was right. She shouldn't live her life based on her brother's expectations. She should live her life based on what she wanted. And she wanted to stay with Renji and Ichigo. They were a team and they would always stick together.

_Karakura Town, One Year Before_

Ichigo Kurosaki felt as though he was walking on air. The election had been closer than anyone thought, especially since he was running against a man from back east. But in the end, Karakura Town had elected one of their own to keep them safe and uphold the law.

Now, he was standing on the steps of the Central 46 Rotunda. His left hand was raised while his right was placed over his heart.

"I, Ichigo Kurosaki, swear to uphold the Laws of the Gensei Provinces and protect the innocent from the guilty," he said, repeating the words of the oath that the Chief Justice was saying.

"And to be willing to stand firm against those who intend harm to the citizens of Karakura Town," the Chief Justice said.

"And to be willing to stand firm against those who intend harm to the citizens of Karakura Town," Ichigo repeated.

As he continued to repeat the oath to the end, Ichigo thought about how he would be able to fulfill it. Throughout Karakura Town's history, many had taken the oath and none had truly succeeded in fulfilling it. Perhaps the oath was just a way to declare an unrealistic ideal. No one could ever truly protect everyone. It was a lesson he had learned the hard way when he faced Grimmjow in Inuzuri only the previous year.

He remembered how the dynamite exploded in front of Grimmjow. Even though Grimmjow was an Arrancar, something inside Ichigo felt a little bit guilty about hurting him. He had to do harm in order to prevent a greater harm from occurring. That made the oath he had taken in Inuzuri seem laughable, especially the part that declared he would "do no harm." In the end, you always ended up having to hurt someone. He didn't like it, but he supposed that a true sheriff should be willing to take up the weight of duty.

_And the deputies are meant to help me carry that weight,_ he thought. He did not need time to think of who he wanted to make his official deputies. They were his friends and they had made a promise to always stick together. He had asked them almost as soon as he got word about the election results and they both accepted.

When the oath was over, Ichigo waved to the audience and made his way into the Rotunda where he would receive the Sheriff's star.

"Well, I see that some things never change."

"Well, hello to you too, Uryu."

Uryu Ishida only straightened his glasses and sighed.

"So, you ended up following in your father's footsteps after all."

"Well, so did you," Ichigo retorted. "I heard that you're going to medical school and that you're thinking of signing up to join one of those medic squads."

"I suppose we both ended up doing something that we never thought we would do. When we were kids, you were always bragging about how you would join the Gotei and become Captain-Commander. Instead, you became a Sheriff."

"Well, I can't argue about that. But it seemed…I don't know…right."

"Are you sure that it wasn't because of your little rebellious streak? You always liked to charge into action without giving things much thought."

"Oh shut up. That has nothing to do with…"

"Yeah, it does," Uryu said smugly. "You probably turned in your application for Officer training and they turned you down."

Ichigo tried to hide his blush, but he couldn't. Uryu saw his face redden and nodded.

"So in the end you had to go down that path after all. And I…I guess you could say I didn't have much of a choice." Uryu looked at his feet in disgust. "Flat feet," he grumbled.

Ichigo couldn't help but laugh. Uryu shot him a look that said that he was tempted to knock his teeth in.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I never thought that the Gotei would make such a big deal about flat feet."

"Well, they do. Anyways, you better get going. We wouldn't want to mess-up your schedule."

"Uryu, how would you like to be made a part-time deputy?"

"Why would I want to?"

"Well, I'm just thinking of people I would like to make my deputies. I already asked Rukia and Renji when I got the word that I was going to be made Sheriff. They both accepted. But I need…shit, I can't believe I'm doing this…I need help fulfilling my duties."

Uryu looked at Ichigo and smiled.

"I never thought I would see the day when Ichigo Kurosaki would actually admit that he needs help. My dad told me about how your dad asked him for help. He just about had a heart attack from shock."

"So…will you?"

Uryu didn't say anything right away. Then he looked at Ichigo.

"I'll have to think about it. It is a heavy responsibility. I know that Chad might be interested."

"Yeah, I'm gonna go over to his shop to ask him when this is over. But I need people who I can trust to watch my back."

"And make sure that you don't get too power-hungry."

"Well…yeah…and you're one of the only ones I know who's going to be completely honest with me."

"So, you trust me to get on your case if you decide to let your authority go to your head?"

"That's right."

"Well, then you know that I'll do what I can to hold you accountable. Besides, you need all of the help you can get to keep your new authority from going to your thick head. However, that does not mean I'll be willing to become your deputy. But I will help you to remember that you're still nothing more than a mere mortal and not some kind of god."

Ichigo nodded. Rukia had told him something similar after he had asked her and Renji to be his deputies. He liked the way that Rukia and Renji were honest with him. The first thing they had told him when he found out that he would now be sheriff to one of the most vital cities in the Gensei Provinces was, "Just remember that you may be one of the most powerful men in the western Gensei Provinces, but you're still a home-town blockhead who couldn't find his way to the cafeteria."

The mere memory of how he got lost on his first day at the Academy to where he had wondered into the girls' barracks by mistake when he was trying to find the cafeteria. Of course, Rukia and Renji never let him live that one down.

He brought himself out of the memory and clapped Uryu on the shoulder.

"Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome. But I'll still have to think about the whole deputy thing. Law enforcement isn't really my thing."

Ichigo nodded and let go of Uryu's shoulder. It was fair enough for Uryu to have to think matters over before reaching a final decision. But he was still willing to help keep him in line. That was all that Ichigo could really ask of him. He continued his way to the Central Chambers where the 46 Justices were waiting for him to take the final pledges before pinning the Sheriff's star on him.

_I will do what I have to keep everyone safe,_ Ichigo thought. _After all, I promised I would. And I always keep my promises._

_Karakura Town, Five Months Before_

Ichigo winced as he touched a growing bruise on his side. The invading Espada had been forced to retreat and all that was left was to repair those parts of town that were damaged in the attack. The inhabitants who hid in their homes during the fighting were now coming out to help with the repairs.

"We were lucky that the damage wasn't too wide-spread," Rukia said as she watched.

"Yeah," Ichigo said. "As far as I can see, not many structures were destroyed and most of the ones that were damaged can be repaired. It shouldn't take long."

"Ichigo, what are we going to do if they come back?"

"Well, we'll do what we can. You, Renji, and I are a team."

Rukia smiled and looked at him.

"Yeah, we are a team. Promise me that won't ever change, no matter what happens."

"Rukia, you know full well that won't change. So why do you keep asking me?"

"I don't know. I guess it's because I'm afraid of what the future might hold."

"If that's the case, then I'll keep my promise to you. No matter what happens, we'll always be a team. And I will be there to help my friends when they need it."

Rukia smiled. She knew that as long as the three of them stuck together then nothing could get in their way.

_Karakura Town, Four Months Before_

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes, I just need some time to sort things out," Orihime said. "Besides, Retsu said that she'll let me stay with her."

"Well, that was nice of her," Ichigo said. "Just take care of yourself, okay?"

"Okay."

"Well, we'll miss you," Rukia said as she hugged Orihime. The train's whistle blew, releasing some of the pent-up stream.

"You better get going if you don't want to miss your train," Uryu said as he limped closer to Orihime. He gave her a one-armed hug.

"Thanks for understanding. I'll come back when I feel ready," Orihime said.

"Just take your time," Chad said.

Orihime smiled and she looked at Ichigo.

"Take care of yourself, Ichigo. Don't let things get you down."

"Well, I'll try not to. If you need anything, just contact us. We're your friends and we'll be here for you."

"I know," Orihime said. "Ichigo…good luck."

Orihime turned and boarded the train. A cloud of steam rose from the engine car as it began to move forward. Orihime waved from the doorway and her friends waved back.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Rukia said. "This might actually do her some good."

"Yeah, I just…I guess I'm just worried," Ichigo said.

"Well, she has been through a lot," Uryu said. "It's good that she's getting away for a bit. It'll help ease her mind."

Ichigo nodded. He thought about what she must have gone through when the Espada attacked less than a month before. The scars from the western outskirts of Karakura Town still remained as the buildings that had been destroyed were being repaired or completely rebuilt. He had thought of bringing it up first, but Orihime had the idea of going to Fort Seireitei for a while.

As he watched the train leave he thought back to Orihime, despite her wounds and bruises, telling him that she liked him as they traveled from Las Noches. He didn't know how to feel about that. He only thought of her as a friend, but he supposed that a part of him did like her as more than a friend.

"Ichigo, we need to get back to the station," Rukia said. "We have to give the instructions to the Visored and Xcution Squads as far as what their duties are for the next couple of weeks."

"Right," Ichigo sighed as he put his hat back on. "Come on, Renji, we have to get back to work."

"Whatever you say, boss," Renji said.

As they walked to the Sheriff's office, Ichigo felt a shadow fall upon him. He had a bad feeling that things were far from over and he was afraid.

"Ichigo, it looks like we'll be getting rain," Renji said.

He looked up at the sky and saw the gray clouds approaching from the north. He nodded.

"Yeah, it does," Ichigo said.

_Senkaimon Goods Station, One Night Before_

"I choose…oh God…" Rukia said. She was unable to believe that this was happening. The lives of her two closest friends were in her hands and she could only save one or condemn them to death. She had a feeling that Aaroniero was smirking behind his mask as he watched her being forced to choose. "…I choose Ichigo."

She wanted it all to be some cruel hoax. But a part of her mind realized that this was truly happening. But she wouldn't let that realization take hold. It wasn't until she saw the badly-scarred man aim his revolver at the back of Renji's head that she realized that this was happening. She thought back to all of the times that Renji seemed to want to tell her something and yet could never find the courage. She knew what he wanted to say, but wanted to hear it coming from him.

"Wait," she said.

"Oh…changed your mind?" Aaroniero asked.

"Renji, what was it you've always wanted to tell me?"

"Rukia."

Renji felt the tears come to her eyes. She wanted him to tell her. If he was going to die then she wanted him to die with no regrets.

"Just tell me now."

"Rukia, I love…"

"Too late," the scarred man said and pulled the trigger.

She felt her heart shatter as she saw Renji's lifeless body fall to the ground. Shock gave way to anguish and she could only cry out. Everything else happened in a blur. She saw Zommari bring out the syringe and fill it with the drug. She didn't want that drug coursing through her veins. She didn't want to lose control.

But as soon as the syringe pierced her skin, she knew that her world was gone.

Byakuya, Renji, and Ichigo had all promised to watch over her. For so long she had maintained that she could take care of herself and that was almost always the case. But now, when she needed them the most, she was alone. She didn't know where Byakuya was. Renji was dead. And Ichigo could do nothing but watch on.

_How did it come to this? We were a team. We were invincible, but now… Please, someone…help me. HELP ME,_ her mind screamed before the drug took hold.

_Sergio Leone Ranch, Present_

"Then tell me," Starrk said. "What is your decision?"

Ichigo looked up at the sky and then looked back at Starrk.

"I have decided," Ichigo said. "I will fight."

_And I will keep my promise to Rukia._

**End of Chapter 16**

**A.N.: Man, it's been a while since I last updated this story. I'm sorry for taking so long updating this story. I'm going to announce that this story will be coming to an end in another four or five chapters, which will bring the total chapter count for "Kick About, Destroy, Bind" to 20 or 21.**

**Anyways, this chapter did not come out the way I would have liked. Real Life decided to throw me a few curveballs and so I'm currently recovering from that. I find that writing in the rough patches of life is both hard and therapeutic. Fortunately, Life is starting to look brighter and that is making it easier for me to get the stories swirling around in my mind out there.**

**And reviews also help. Now, I will admit that this is not the best chapter I've put out there. But at least it's out of my head instead of just stuck there.**

**Thank you for reading and please review.**


	17. Chapter 17: La Distancia Para un Duelo

**Kick About, Destroy, Bind**

**Chapter 17: La Distancia Para un Duelo**

_Stone Hill, Capital City of the eastern Gensei Provinces_

"The Gensei Provinces are falling into a state of chaos, Mr. President," one of the men at the long table said.

"If we do nothing, then the Arrancar threat could very well come further east," an old man said as he stroked his long beard. "Mr. President, the fall of Fort Seireitei has taken out a major obstacle against an invasion from the west. By this time tomorrow, the enemy could be on our door step. We need to launch a counter attack _now_."

The President of the Gensei Provinces sat in thought. He tapped one finger on the glistening cherry wood surface. His ever-present frown deepened and his dark-blue eyes seemed to stare into great distances from behind his gold-rimmed glasses.

"Mr. President," an older woman sitting next to him said, "it's clear that something must be done. Without our intervention, the western Gensei Provinces could very well enter a state of anarchy. My sources have informed me that their banks have no money to help rebuild and the Arrancars are almost prepared to attack Karakura Town. We need to send in the Military."

"What's the point?" another man asked. "By the time they arrive, much of the Gensei Provinces would have already been engulfed in flame. I agree that we need to send them in as soon as possible. However, it would be wiser if we keep them closer to the more established parts of the eastern Gensei Provinces. We…"

The President slammed a fist on the table's surface. All eyes turned to him as he stood.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," he said in his low and smooth voice. "I have listened to what you had to say, and now I have something to say.

"You have told me of this imposing Arrancar threat, but I think that they will come no further east than the ruins of Fort Seireitei. What happens to Karakura Town is a concern, because it is the capital of the western Gensei Provinces. But the western Gensei Provinces are a dying land that was formed because of the mining and oil opportunities that our predecessors saw in them. Through conquest and bribes and trickery, our predecessors took that land from the Arrancars and made it their own.

"As a result, that land is our land. Now, the Arrancars think that they can just take it back from us? How do you think that will look if the mightiest nation on the earth cannot keep a hold of their land from a bunch of savages?"

He looked at them in turn and sighed.

"We will send in the Military, but we won't be able to stop the Arrancar attack on Karakura Town. It's too late to do anything about that right now. However, make no mistake, we will drive them back. If the Arrancars succeed in retaking those lands then we will drive them back to the Hueco Mundo Wastes. But this time we will not stop there. We will wipe-out their race from the face of the earth. For every drop of Gensei blood they spill, we will make sure that they pay ten times over.

"Future generations will remember us, ladies and gentlemen, for being the ones who did not compromise. Compromise is for the weak. Instead of compromise, we will destroy them completely. Every man, woman, and child Arrancar will suffer for this trespass."

"But sir," one of the younger members of the cabinet said, "didn't you say that our predecessors took the land from them? Don't they have a right to it?"

"Ah…the folly of youth," the President said. "They have no right to what is no longer theirs. It was the fault of their ancestors that they lost it. They were too evil to keep it and so God gave it to us. It is our Divine Right to have that land and who can deny the will of God?"

Some of the members looked at each other, clearly uncomfortable. The notion of Manifest Destiny was a dying belief. However, even though rationality was beginning to win out over dogma, there were still those who believed that genocide was the equivalent of righteousness, and their fiery hatred was still strong. The more rational and enlightened members of the cabinet were afraid that such an action that the President was advocating would only breed more hatred against them. They wanted the cycle to end, but as long as those who advocated war and genocide and blind rage remained in power there would be no end.

"Any dissension will be taken for treason," the President said. "I will not compromise with ungodly savages. Instead of compromise, we must let the blood flow.

"Do you all agree?"

The members of the President's cabinet looked at each other and one-by-one they nodded in agreement. However, some did so hesitantly and the more politically ambitious were inwardly smiling. After all, there was nothing like warmongering and fear-mongering to win the hearts and minds of the civilians in an election. The President nodded his head in approval.

"Good. Now…what's the next topic on the agenda?"

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

Ichigo found it hard to believe that despite the coming storm the birds could still sing. He allowed the warm morning breeze brush against his face. He looked up at the blue sky.

_Soon, it'll all be over,_ he thought. _And how many more will have to die before it does?_

He didn't want to think about that. He knew that he couldn't afford to backslide into the despair he felt after seeing his father and Renji executed in front of him. He couldn't afford to dwell on past mistakes. If he did, then he had a feeling that he would truly fail. And his father never taught him how to fail.

_"Failure is when you refuse to get back on the horse after you fall off,"_ his father had told him when he was younger. Ichigo wondered how many times he had fallen off of that proverbial horse and how many times had he managed to get back on.

_Even then I always had to be helped,_ he thought. _One can never remount that proverbial horse without help._

"Ichigo!" someone shouted from behind him.

He turned and saw Riruka standing with a fried doughnut in one hand.

"What is it?" he asked.

"They're ready to get started," Riruka answered.

Ichigo nodded and started to make his way back to the cabin. Riruka walked next to him and split her doughnut in half.

"Here, you need to eat something," she said as she held the half-doughnut to him.

"I'm not hungry."

"You may not be hungry, idiot, but you need to eat. We can't have you fainting on us. Now eat or do I have to shove it down your throat?"

Ichigo sighed and took the doughnut. He looked at it and took a tiny bite.

"Happy?" he asked as he ate.

"Idiot, didn't your mother teach you it's impolite to eat with your mouth full?" Riruka asked as she ate her own breakfast.

Ichigo sighed as he took another bite.

_Fort Seireitei_

Aizen watched from the rail-line's administrative office as the trains were being loaded. Carts filled with ammunition and weapons taken from the storehouses lined the dirt roads. Arrancars, mercenaries, and former Gotei soldiers unloaded the carts and carried their loads to the boxcars already hooked together.

The horses crowded in the corals whinnied and stomped, frightened by the loud whistling noise the train engines made as steam was released to ensure that the boilers wouldn't overheat and explode.

"I see that the loading process is occurring a little slower than expected," Aizen said.

"The men are working as fast as they can," Arturo said. "Some of the equipment is proving to be a little more troublesome than expected. The main problem is going to be with the nitroglycerine. It's extremely unstable and…"

"I understand how unstable nitroglycerine is," Aizen said. "At this rate we won't be able to leave until this afternoon."

"That was the original projection, sir. However, we will be able to reach Karakura Town by tomorrow morning if we have the trains run through the night."

"Well, at least we'll still be on target for that." Aizen bit his lip. "Have you heard anything from Rudobon and the Exequias?"

"They will reach the Garganta Pass later tonight. Shall I give him word to begin the assault at dawn?"

"No, it won't be at dawn. Have him and the Arrancars under Baraggan begin the assault three hours after sunrise. That way we can attack in sync and overwhelm Karakura Town in less than an hour."

"What about your men in Karakura Town?"

"They're expendable," Aizen said, smiling. "And besides, I have a feeling that they might have their own plans."

"You're expecting betrayal?"

"I would be a fool not to. Arturo, I want you to round up as many of your men as you can find and get them to work. I think that a few extra hands will get the job a lot quicker. And inform your brother to order his patrols to return from hunting down any escaped Gotei."

"Is there anything else you would like from me?" Arturo asked.

Aizen thought about it for a moment.

"I want you to bet back to work, Arturo," he said. "And I want you to get them to quicken their pace. I don't care if you have to work them to the brink of death."

Arturo nodded and left the office.

Aizen sighed and continued to watch his army continue their preparations on the three trains he would be using. The box cars were all connected and the engines were getting prepared.

_Soon,_ he thought. _It will all come to an end soon._

A part of him felt relieved.

_Pinkerton Offices, Karakura Town_

Shukuro Tsukishima sat at the head of the long table in the meeting room.

"We believe that Aizen will use the Carson Line and attack from the north," one of the Pinkerton officers said. "We can build makeshift barricades in between the buildings and use them as a choke point."

"Yes, but what if he attacks from the east?" another officer asked. "He doesn't have to come all the way to Karakura Town to attack us. He can stop the trains a few miles outside of town and attack us that way."

Tsukishima frowned. Aizen had never specified what direction he would be attacking from and now he understood why.

_He figured I might try to do something about him,_ Tsukishima thought. He remembered how surprised Tosen had been when he heard that he was to die that day in the Central 46 Rotunda. Tosen did not know about that part of the plan because Aizen had only told Tsukishima. _He only gave us bits and pieces because he didn't trust us with all of the details. That clever bastard._

"Sir, what do you think?" another officer asked.

Tsukishima looked at the map and frowned.

"It's safe to assume that Aizen will use the Arrancar attack from the west to keep us occupied. I think that Aizen knows that he can attack us from any direction. He can go north or south until he reaches the Karakura River and travel south or north on the river boats, but that's unlikely. He'll most likely want to launch a synchronized assault and going that far out of his way will hinder that. Our safest option is to sacrifice most of the town and secure only a small area."

"What do you mean, sir?" another officer asked.

Tsukishima smiled and tapped on the line marking the Karakura River that divided Karakura Town from east and west.

"We blow the bridges. Well, all but central bridge that we can use to launch an assault against Aizen when we can. We stay on the western side so that way we can deal with the Arrancar threat first. Aizen will need to cross the river to get to us and that will take time for him. We can deal with one threat first and then deal with Aizen afterwards. The one bridge we'll leave intact we'll barricade on both ends. A small force can easily defend it with some of the Cero and Bala shooters in the Gotei storehouse."

"And how many men do you think we'll need to defend the bridge?" one of the officer's asked.

"I would say about thirty. Officer Opie, I'm putting you in charge of that operation."

Officer Kirge Opie, a rather thin man with greasy black hair parted at the left and dark glasses saluted.

"As you command, Kommandant," he said.

"Officer Doyle and Officer Farson, I'm putting you two in seeing to it that everyone on the eastern side of the Karakura River is brought to the western side safely. Take as many men as you need to ensure this."

"As you command," Officer Doyle, a rather short and fat man with a large bald spot at the back of his head said.

Officer Farson, a gaunt and pale-faced man dressed completely in black only nodded his head.

"Gentlemen, if that is all then you may leave. Officers Opie and Farson, please remain behind. I need to give you further instructions."

The other officers stood and filed out of the room until only the three men were left.

"So, Kommandant, what other orders do you have for us?" Kirge Opie asked.

"I need you two to get word to the others who are aware of the overall plan. I want to make sure that Aizen will not get here until he's too weak to do anything. I have a feeling that he may split his forces and use two lines for the Senkaimon Express."

"Which two lines?" Farson asked in his smooth and silky voice.

"The Tywin Line and the Shihoin Line," Tsukishima said. "Those are the only two lines that will deliver him close enough to Karakura Town to where he can attack at the same time as the Arrancar forces. The closest that the other lines come to Karakura Town is at least ten miles, but those two bring him right into Karakura Town. I want you to send a group of agents four miles out along those tracks and prepare a trap for him."

"I know just the men," Kirge Opie said and smiled his tight-lipped smile. "I can easily get Bolton and his division to take care of the Shihoin line. I may have to send Royce to deal with the Tywin line."

"Good," Tsukishima said.

"What about the other problem?" Farson asked. "The Kurosaki brat is still active along with those Espada."

"True," Tsukishima said. "And it seems as though Urahara got them hidden somewhere along with the rest of the Xcution and Visored Squads. However, I don't think we need to worry about them…at least not right now. We can deal with them afterwards."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Farson asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Farson, I'll answer you with a question. Which is the bigger threat: twenty or four hundred?"

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

"So…what are we going to do?" Ukitake asked.

Starrk sighed as he leaned back in his chair.

"I'm out of ideas," he said. "I don't even know this town that well."

"Well, we can't exactly do much," Urahara said. "I mean we're not exactly an army here."

"That's for sure," Kugo Ginjo said as he leaned forward. "What kind of plan do you think Tsukishima will use? If we knew that then we can simply build our plan off of his."

Ichigo frowned and then his eyes widened.

"The bridges," he whispered.

"Huh?" Shinji asked.

"If I was planning a defensive strategy then I would make sure that I would only have to deal with one problem at a time. What better way to do that then to use the Karakura River to separate the two problems?"

"That makes sense," Harribel said. "And I would leave one bridge intact to use to launch a counter-attack once one problem has been taken care of."

"Yes, and I would also send out a small force to whittle down the other opposition," Kugo said.

"That sounds all well-and-good," Shunsui said. "However, you seem to have forgotten one problem. Numbers. We don't exactly have the numbers on our side."

"No, but Tsukishima will," Shinji said. "He pretty much has all of Karakura Town in his back pocket. All he has to do is recruit anyone with a gun and he has an army."

"Are you suggesting that we let him do all of the dirty work while we just clean-up?" Ukitake asked.

"No," Ichigo said. "There's no way I'm going to allow him to use innocent civilians in such a way. And I will not just stand by while many of them die as a result. I'm their sheriff."

"You were their sherrif," Uryu said. "Have you forgotten how they instantly disowned you when they thought you were 'Shadow-Lurker'? Why should you care about them?"

"It's because I took an oath. And I keep my oaths," Ichigo said.

"Yeah, and guess how that turned out," Uryu snapped. "Listen, Ichigo. You wanted me to be honest with you and I am. You're naïve if you think that you can keep every oath. You can't protect everyone."

"I KNOW THAT!" Ichigo shouted. "I know that better than you ever could. I saw one of my best friends and my own father killed right in front of me. I promised to protect Rukia and I saw her get infected with one of Zommari's drugs. So don't give me any more shit, Uryu. I may be naïve about some things, but I know what's at stake. I know that I can't save everyone. I know that some of us here may die when the battle comes. But I'm not going to stand by and do nothing."

Uryu was silent for a moment and then smiled.

"It's good to know that you're back," he said. "I had to make sure that you were serious about this."

"I am," Ichigo said. He turned to Starrk who only looked at him with his regular tired expression. "What about you?"

"You know where I stand," Starrk said. "Aizen betrayed those who I consider my friends. I want to make sure that he pays. One doesn't mess with a wolf and expect not to get bitten."

"Well said," Shunsui said as he took another swig of beer. "Even though I don't know what the Hell we're doing, you can count me in."

"That's good to know," Byakuya said. "However, if we're to succeed then we have to make sure that we're all in on this together. Whatever we decide for our strategy, it won't work unless everyone involved understands the risks and is willing to go through with it."

"I think we all know what's at stake," Davis Murphy said. "I may be just a banker, but the Gensei Provinces have always been my home. If I must sacrifice something to save it then I will."

"Good, we need everyone we can get," Starrk said. "We've already been dealt some serious blows. We don't know if Grimmjow's prepared something on his end. We don't know if Ulquiorra will be up and ready by the time the battle comes. We've lost two fighters already."

Shinji lowered his head at that and bit his lower lip.

"And we can't exactly call Fort Seireitei for reinforcements anymore," Shunsui said.

"No, we can't," Unohana said. "I suggest that we take a couple of hours break to think things through. Fresh air always helps in getting the mind moving on serious topics."

"And sleep," Starrk said as he stifled a yawn.

"Couldn't agree with you more," Shunsui said and held out his beer bottle to Starrk. Starrk accepted it willingly.

"I suppose since by this time tomorrow we may all be dead there's no need to worry about hygiene," Uryu said.

"This is a fine mess we're in. Most of us here have a reward on their heads or are being declared traitors. If we just rush into battle, the fine folk of Karakura Town could very well just shoot us down before we even get a chance to say, 'Hi,'" Shinji said. "In other words, we have to worry about three enemy forces and they all outnumber us. I would say that our odds are looking very good."

"Only if the odds concern all of us winding up in a pine box," Kugo said. "That is unless some miracle occurs."

_Precipice Mountains_

Four is not necessarily the most significant number in history. But if one were to include the two fat horses and the fat boar pulling the loaded cart along one of the old mountain roads, then one did get a significant number, a lucky number. But Szayel Aporro Granz was not feeling lucky at all.

"Why me?" Szayel Aporro moaned.

"What was that?" Kukaku Shiba asked from where she sat at the front of the cart.

"Nothing," Szayel Aporro said.

"I thought not. Ganju, Jidanbo, how are you two doing?"

"Just…huff…huff…just fine, Sis," Ganju huffed from the back of the cart.

"Doing good, Miss Shiba," Jidanbo said from where he was pushing the cart up the slope. "But I think Ganju might be ready to faint."

"Am…huff…huff…am not."

Kukaku sighed and shook her head.

"I knew I should have forced him to get more exercise. HEY PINKY, GET OUT AND HELP PUSH!"

"Uh…I'm fine…thank you."

"I wasn't asking you, Pinky," Kukaku said and turned to glare at him.

"Well…I don't know. I'm not good at…" Szayel Aporro stopped when he saw the gun aimed right at him.

"I said, 'I wasn't asking you, Pinky.' Now, if you value your manhood, get out and help push."

Szayel Aporro moaned as he got off the cart's sitting area and made his way over the crates strapped in the back. There was no way he was going to risk falling to the canyon floor 200 feet below, even though he knew that it would cause the insane woman to have to give up harping on him every opportunity she got.

He liked living and he intended to stay that way thank you very much.

"WHAT'S THE HOLD UP, PINKY?" Kukaku shouted. "DO YOU NEED A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT TO GET MOVING?"

"No…I do not need encouragement of any kind. I especially don't need it from you," he snarled as he lowered himself to the path floor. He saw Ganju practically having to use the back of the cart to prop himself up. Jidanbo, however, looked as if he could push the cart uphill for five days if he had to.

"AND STOP COMPLAINING, PINKY! WE'RE BEHIND SCHEDULE ENOUGH AS IT IS WITHOUT YOU SLOWING US DOWN WITH YOUR WHINING!"

"But Sis, we're…huff…going as fast…huff…huff…as fast as we can," Ganju panted.

"Same goes for you, Idiot," Kukaku said as she towered over them from the back of the cart. "Now be good little boys, like Jidanbo. Be quiet… AND PUSH!"

Szayel Aporro grimaced as he put his hands on the back of the cart. He could feel Kukaku's fiery glare on him and he pushed…if one could call it "pushing."

_Sabaku Desert—Grimmjow_

"What are you doing?" Nel asked.

"What does it look like?" Grimmjow asked as he tried to mount Dondochakka's horse, Bawabawa. "I'm going to ride on ahead and make…GYAAH! MOTHER FUCKER!" He nearly collapsed and clutched at his sides.

"Hey, watch your mouth," Dondochakka said and hugged Bawabawa's neck. "Bawabawa doesn't like foul language in his presence."

"Yeah…whatever," Grimmjow snarled.

"Grimmjow, I thought we went over this before," Nel said as she rubbed Grimmjow's back. "You'll only reopen those wounds if you keep pushing it."

"You don't understand. I have to…"

"I know you want to help Starrk, but what good can you be if you're too hurt to even mount a horse?"

"I can still hold a gun. That's all I need."

"And how are you thinking of getting to Karakura Town?" Nel asked. "You can't even mount a horse and you can forget walking."

"But…"

"No buts, Grimm-kitty," Nel said as she helped to sit him on a large boulder. She began to unbutton his shirt. Grimmjow reached up to unbutton her own shirt, but she slapped his hand away. "Down Kitty. I'm just checking your wounds."

"Damn, and here I thought you were getting hot."

"Maybe a little," Nel said, "but now's not the time."

Grimmjow let out a slight hiss as she removed his shirt. She checked the bandages and wasn't surprised to see that some of them were stained through with red. She turned to where Pesche and Dondochakka were sitting around the small fire getting their meal ready.

"Pesche, I need you to get the bandages. Dondochakka, bring some of that whisky over here."

"Sure thing, Nel," Pesche said as he and Dondochakka got up.

"Gee, that's thoughtful," Grimmjow said. "I could use a drink."

"It's for the bandages," Nel said.

"Sheesh, talk about a waste," Grimmjow muttered.

"Well, we have to make sure that your wounds don't get infected. And alcohol is a good way of keeping infection at bay. That's why it hurts when you pour it on an open wound."

"Tell me about it."

When Pesche and Dondochakka brought the bandages and whiskey to Nel, she started working. She un-wrapped the bandages around his abdomen and was relieved to see that the wounds there were healing nicely and were starting to scab over, but a couple were seeping blood but not pus, which was good. If any of the wounds had been seeping pus, then it would have indicated that the wound was becoming infected.

_He'll have some sexy scars there,_ she thought with a slight smile. She put some alcohol on a clean strip of bandage.

"Grimm, I can understand that you want to help the others," Nel said. "But you need to learn your limits."

"I can't afford to do that now," Grimmjow said. He hissed when the bandage touched one of his open wounds.

"Relax, it's just alcohol."

"But it hurts."

"That means it's good for you. Healing doesn't come without pain. And whether you like it or not it takes time."

"How long?"

"I don't know. You heal when you heal. You just need to be patient."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I promised Ulquiorra that I would do what I can to stop Aizen. Plus, I owe some lead to that Luppi bastard."

"I don't think that your gang would appreciate it if you died trying to avenge them," Nel said as she finished wrapping the fresh bandage around his abdomen. "They would want you to live your life to the fullest; without regret."

"I would regret not avenging them," Grimmjow said. "It's my fault that they died and it's my responsibility to make sure that they're avenged."

"Well…just don't include yourself on your kill-list, and don't get yourself killed," Nel said. "That wouldn't do any good for anyone."

"Don't worry. I have no intention of dying any time soon," Grimmjow said. "Now…how about you unbutton that shirt?"

"Later," Nel said as she poured some of the whiskey on one of his shoulder wounds.

"AAAAAAAAAAGH!"

_Sabaku Desert—The Arrancar Army_

The line of Arrancars and the supply carts stretched out for about three hundred feet. Parts of the Arrancar forces were clustered together and others were stretched thin, especially near the rear where the weaker horses were plodding along at a slow pace.

Baraggan Luisenbarn looked at how stretched thin the line had become and sighed.

"At this rate, some of the horses will be too weak to enter battle," he glowered.

"I wouldn't worry sir," Ggio said from beside him. "The raids that the Exequias Army is doing throughout the Borderlands will bring in fresh horses that we can use."

"What if the Exequias do not come when they're scheduled to?" Baraggan asked. "You know that Karakura Town will have enough Bala Shooters and Cero Cannons to decimate our forces without the speed that horses give."

"Aizen told us not to worry about them. He told us that Tsukishima will take care of them."

"Yes, but how do we know we can trust either?" Baraggan asked.

Ggio remained silent for a moment and nodded.

"Why wouldn't we?" Ggio asked. "You trusted him enough to follow him."

"Yes, but I only made that choice because I saw an opportunity to reclaim my former glory. And Aizen isn't here."

"Are you saying that we should disobey his instructions and attack shortly after dawn?"

"I do," Baraggan said. "No one would expect it. The downside is that if we do attack before dawn then we will be just as exhausted as our enemies."

"Yet the element of surprise would give us the advantage. We would be ready and they would not," Ggio said.

"Yes," Baraggan said. "I suppose it would."

Ggio only nodded. He listened to the sounds of the horses' hooves striking the rocky ground and the constant rumble of the cart wheels. He could hear some of the Arrancars behind them muttering or coughing.

Baraggan turned his head to look at Ggio.

"How is the prisoner?" he asked.

"The prisoner is resigned," Ggio replied. "She understands that she can't do anything."

"Are you sure of that?"

"I am."

"Tch…I highly doubt that. The Gotei Captains are wily foxes. She may look resigned, Ggio, but she's plotting something."

"But what can she do, sir? She's being watched. Avirama has guard duty on her right now."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean she isn't plotting something. Poww has informed me that she still has some fire left in her. I want that fire to be extinguished before I execute her."

Ggio looked at him.

"You intend to execute her? Why not just do the worse thing and let her live?"

"She doesn't have enough blood on her hands for that," Baraggan said. "Should it turn out that she has spilt more blood than I have then I will deny her the mercy of death. I may be cruel, but I'm not cruel to allow a young woman who no longer has any sense of purpose to continue living."

"But…she might…find some purpose," Ggio protested. "If that's the greater mercy then why not give that?"

Baraggan looked at Ggio and frowned.

"First you tell me to let her live out of cruelty and then you tell me to let her live out of mercy. If I didn't know better, Ggio Vega, I would say that there is a more selfish motive behind your plea for me to stay my hand."

Ggio swallowed and then looked at the ground in front of them.

"I…I don't deny it, sir. I…I have become quite fond of her."

"Perhaps…or perhaps you're only fond of the idea of getting a hold of her charms. I was young once and I still remember what it was like when my blood was hot. I suppose it was my mistake to not let you break her."

"And…how would I do that?" Ggio asked, even though he already suspected the answer.

"It's no different than taming a wild bronco: ride her until she can no longer protest."

"I…I wouldn't feel comfortable with that," Ggio said blushing. "That is…I…it just wouldn't feel right."

"I suppose not. I suppose that I've become too bitter over the years to remember that being young also means having a clearer conscience. You know by instinct what's right and what's wrong, but the years tear that away. When you see the things that I've seen…you can do nothing but become hard."

"Like what?"

Baraggan looked at him and Ggio was surprised and troubled to see sorrow fill his eyes.

"The types of things that would make a lesser man tie the noose himself and put the rope around his own neck. The type of things that would make a lesser man to just give up and lie in bed and wait to die in his own filth. The type of things that make you age too quickly and come to hate the world and whatever sadistic god, if any, is in control for it.

"It's a seed that becomes bitter fruit."

Ggio looked at Baraggan and was becoming worried. He had heard old men talk like this before. It was as though his leader and icon was feeling a great weight on him. It was a weight that he couldn't fully understand.

"Forgive me, Ggio," Baraggan said and chuckled. "I suppose I must have come to realize that this is my last war."

"Nonsense, sir, you'll be around for a few more years and you'll have a few more battles ahead of you."

Baraggan shook his head.

"I'm afraid not. Ggio, the greatest curse of old age is that it slows your thinking and your reflexes. If we had done this even two years ago, I would have done more than just marching and not merely rely on Aizen's plans. But now…now I can barely think of what to do next. Thinking has become like marching across soft sand or through the swamp lands.

"Damn you, Senescence. You dull our minds and you take away our ability," Baraggan said. "And in the end, we all turn to ashes to be blown in the wind. And before we become a dull blade, we do what we can in order to ensure our name lives on.

"This is what you have to look forward to, Ggio, should you survive this. Your youth will fade away and your bones will become weak. Your muscles will ache and your mind will become slow. Just as time dulls a blade, so too does time dull a man."

"But, a blade can be made sharp again," Ggio said.

"A blade can, but a man can't. Flesh and bone cannot become sharp again. The best way to live is to live without regret. Do you understand Ggio?"

Ggio didn't, but he felt that it was best to give the answer he was expected to give.

"Yes sir."

"No, you don't," Baraggan said. He looked at Ggio and his frown deepened. "Do not think about finding a way to enable the prisoner to survive. I have no intention of allowing her to do so. If you want to ride her, then I suggest you do so tonight because for better or worse, I will see her dead. And the reason is that she is Gotei. The Gotei may have fallen, but she is still Gotei."

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

Harribel was not surprised to see Starrk napping in the shade of one of the oak trees. His eyes were closed and his hands were folded across his chest. She gave a little smile and shook her head.

"Since you're here, you might as well join me," Starrk said. He unfolded his hands and opened his eyes a little.

"I might take you up on that offer. Where's Lilynette?"

"She's helping prepare the dynamite," Starrk said. "And she's teaching that blonde kid the best way to prepare them. Although, I think he already has a good idea on how to prepare explosives."

"Something tells me that she wants to go with them."

"Of course she does."

Harribel sat next to Starrk and leaned against the tree. Her green eyes looked into Starrk's blue-grey.

"They're really going through with it," she said.

"Yes. The plan is in place and when they leave the rest of us will head to Karakura Town."

"They'll be looking out for us," Harribel said.

"Who?"

"The townsfolk, Tsukishima, Aizen's men…" Harribel said. "Well, who isn't?"

"They won't expect us coming into town and they'll be too busy setting up the defenses for the part of town on the west side of the Karakura River. We'll sneak into the eastern side and then use the crowds to make sure we're in place."

"And where will Lilynette and the Kurosaki sisters be?"

"The Kurosaki sisters will be hidden someplace safe. I don't know where, but Hachi and Hanataro will be with them. If it was up to me, Lilynette would go with them, but…"

"Let me guess. Lilynette threatened to run at the first chance she got and rush into battle," Harribel said. Starrk nodded. "Well, that shouldn't come as a surprise. She was never one who could just sit and wait. So, what did you promise her?"

Harribel looked at Starrk. She could tell that he wasn't pleased with whatever compromise he had to make to appease Lilynette. Starrk sighed and sat up straight and ran a hand through his hair.

"I had to promise her that she could come with us to Karakura Town and allow her to set up her little traps. I agreed, but only as long as she doesn't leave my sight."

"Yet you still don't like it," Harribel said and put a hand on his arm. "You worry that things might get too far out of hand."

"I know things will get out of hand. There's no such thing as a clean battle. I just hope that none of that blood will be hers."

"Can't you…?"

"There would be no point," Starrk said. "She knows how to set-up explosives better than anyone else here, including Sung-Sun. When we argued…she was much more persuasive than I was. She knows the risks and she's willing to take them to help us.

"I took her into the storm once before, and I don't think I can do that again."

"Yet, she's left us with little choice," Harribel said. "Whether we like it or not, we need her expertise. Her explosives could mean the difference between victory and defeat."

"That's what I hate about it," Starrk said. "I try to find a way around her entering the arena, and there's no way I can see that doesn't require me hurting her or risking absolute defeat. Whether I like it or not, Lilynette will have to enter the storm again. I'm not sure if she'll be as lucky as she was before."

"She will be," Harribel said. "I can have Sung-Sun or Apacci keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't get into the thick of things."

"Yes, but…will there be a safe place?"

Harribel thought about it and sighed.

"I don't know," she said. "I just don't know."

_Hogyoku United Bank, Karakura Town_

Gin Ichimaru was not surprised to see that many of the bank patrons were rushing to get their money and valuables out of the bank while they could. The message concerning the evacuation had caused a mass panic as Gin knew it would.

_Tsukishima will try to use the chaos to his advantage,_ Gin thought. _What is he up to?_

Gin closed the door to his office, quieting the noise of the panic a little. He locked the door to ensure that he would not be disturbed and went back to his desk. He tried to think of ways that he could use the chaos to his own advantage, but couldn't.

_We came together for different reasons,_ he thought. _Tosen agreed to plan with Aizen for justice, or at least what he thought was justice. Tsukishima agreed for personal gain. I…_

He opened the desk drawer and took out the photo. He looked at the picture of the young blonde girl with her arms around a shy-looking silver-haired boy. He ran the tips of his fingers over the girl's face and closed his eyes.

_I'm doing it for you, _he thought. He reached into the drawer again and took out the gun he kept under the photo. _I'm doing this for you, Rangiku._

"That's a lovely photo."

Gin bolted upright and turned around. His mouth gaped when he saw Tsukishima leaning against the wall.

"How did you get in here?" Gin asked.

"The window," Tsukishima said and gestured to the open window. "I thought that we should talk in private."

"Don't you think it's a little late for that?"

"I've found that it's never too late to talk to a fellow conspirator. So…who's the girl?"

"She's an old friend," Gin said and put the photo on his desk, but kept the revolver in his hand.

"She has lovely hair. Is it that big-breasted blonde who came in with the child-Captain?"

Gin didn't say anything. Instead, he kept the revolver aimed at Tsukishima.

"It is," Tsukishima said and chuckled. "Well, ain't that nice? You're reason for joining our little conspiracy was for the sake of a girl. Why?"

"Aizen hurt her when she was a child," Gin said.

"Aizen hurt a lot of families," Tsukishima said. "I was with him a couple of times and other times I did his work for him. Her last name is Matsumoto, right?"

Gin didn't say anything. He knew that Tsukishima knew the answer.

"Well, it just so happens that I can help you," Tsukishima said. "I know you want to kill Aizen for making your precious Rangiku an orphan. You two were in the same orphanage if I'm not mistaken. She viewed you as a little brother and as the years went by, she began to see you as a man and you started seeing her as a lovely young lady."

"I see that your sources are still as reliable as ever," Gin said.

"Naturally," Tsukishima said. "Now, back to what I was saying. I have my own plan in motion to destroy Aizen. If you want, you can play a part in it as well."

"What do you have planned?"

"Oh…just to make sure that Aizen falls and I am hailed as a hero."

"And how will you do that? Those who know, or at least suspect, that you're a member of Aizen's conspiracy are still out there."

"Ah…Kurosaki and Starrk and their little band of brothers," Tsukishima said and chuckled again. "Who will believe them? The Gensei Provinces are not exactly Arrancar-friendly, and as for those who sympathize with the Arrancars… Well, let's just say that the officials hardly ever compromise. They see things in black-and-white and that naïve worldview is so easy to manipulate."

"I know," Gin said. "I've manipulated people by manipulating their worldview as well. So, back to what you were saying."

"Ah yes, my plan," Tsukishima said. "We both know that Aizen will use the Senkaimon rails to get his men from Fort Seireitei to here. First stage of the plan: stop the trains by blowing up the tracks and have a small group pick off as many of his fighters as they can as they get off the trains. Second stage: cut-off his ability to cross the Karakura River until the Arrancar Army is taken care of. Third stage: kill Aizen. Fourth stage: be the hero and use that to gain influence. So…what do you think?"

"That's the overview?"

"That's right. As for the specifics…well, I won't go into those. Now, for my plan to succeed, Aizen must die. Would you like to pull the trigger?"

Gin looked at his revolver and then at Tsukishima.

"I would. However, how do I know that you won't shoot me in the back?"

"That's completely up to you," Tsukishima said. "However, if you want to kill Aizen, then you'll need help. He will not allow you to get close enough to do the job, but…if you had someone to help keep him occupied…"

"Are you saying that you're going to…to betray Aizen?"

"You knew that I would. Aizen's little assault will provide me the perfect opportunity to play the hero. I've always dreamed of being the hero."

"Yet you helped plot with us and you killed Tosen."

"That's true. However, isn't it true that all heroes are made by taking advantage of a situation? When you get down to it, all heroes are nothing more than thugs who appear to be good. Heroes and villains are entirely based on perspective."

"Then what's the point of heroes of villains?"

"They give a society someone to love and someone to hate. However, as any ruler can tell you, it is better to be loved than hated, but it is better to be feared than loved. The man who crushes Aizen will be loved for saving them from the monster and be feared because he defeated a very powerful monster."

"You mean to get a political career out of this," Gin said smiling.

"Why else would I be doing this? However, a political career is expensive and so many politicians sell themselves to the major corporations or the old families. In public they stand tall and proud but in secret they're on their knees and kissing rich asses. It's Oligarchy disguised as Democracy, and I don't like the idea of kneeling or being some rich man's puppet with his hand shoved up my ass."

"You want to know what I did with the gold," Gin said.

"No, I want you to give me the gold in exchange for allowing you to fulfill your desire to kill Aizen. However, I'm surprised that you didn't try it sooner. Why wait?"

Gin remained silent. He didn't know why he had always stayed his hand whenever the opportunity came. He always came up with an excuse for it, but excuses were not real reasons. Excuses were surface, but reasons were the roots of actions and were thus often times unknown until a person truly examined themselves.

"So, what do you say, Gin? Are you going to try to rectify your situation and join me?" Tsukishima asked. "You can still get the revenge you seek, but it won't be as satisfying as you'd like it to be."

Gin thought about it. He looked at the photo of him and Rangiku at the orphanage. He could remember seeing her cry when she first arrived after her parents had been killed by a group of Arrancars as she watched from under their farmhouse porch where she had been playing with her dolls. He didn't like seeing her cry and had sworn that he would make sure that whoever was responsible would pay dearly in order to get her to stop crying.

That was one reason he had no doubt about.

_And I always keep my promises,_ he thought as he looked at the photo.

"Alright, I'll join you," Gin said. He turned to face Tsukishima and put his revolver down. "What do I have to do?"

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

Apacci was where she expected her to be. When Harribel heard the plan, she knew that Sung-Sun would have to get involved, and she knew that Apacci would be torn between keeping her safe and the risk of not seeing the only other remaining Diamond Sister again. Harribel knew that to make Apacci's decision easier she would have to get involved.

As Harribel got closer to the grave side, Apacci stiffened and jumped onto her feet.

"Mistress Harribel," Apacci said. "I…I…"

"It's alright, Apacci. I only came to talk to you."

Apacci seemed to become more nervous at that. Harribel had to suppress a sigh. The last thing she wanted was to make one of her closest friends uneasy.

"Mistress Harribel, I…I just…I…"

"Apacci, I'm not mad at you."

"But…Mila Rose…she…"

"Her death is not your fault, and I think she would be disappointed if she ever found out that you're blaming yourself for her death."

"She would probably kick my ass," Apacci said.

"Yes, she would. And she would be right to kick your ass because you blame yourself for something you had absolutely no control over. Believe me. I know what it's like to blame yourself for something that wasn't your fault. When my parents and my brothers and sisters died from the Bloody Cough, I blamed myself because I survived and they did not. Why should I still be alive while everyone else around me was dead?

"I still don't know how to answer that, but I have a better idea. I survived because it wasn't my time. It was as though their deaths were preparing me for the suffering that I had to endure before…before Starrk came into my life. Every hardship helped me to become stronger. Mila Rose would want her death to help you to be able to endure and become stronger."

Harribel looked at Apacci. She had told the Diamond Sisters about her life so many times, but now it was becoming real for Apacci.

"Mistress Harribel, I…I want to become stronger. I don't want Mila Rose's death to be in vain, but…I just don't know how."

"Well, that's why I came to talk to you," Harribel said. "We need ten of our people to go out for the first phase of our plan. It will require us to derail a couple of trains and shoot down as many of Aizen's men as possible. The rest of us will head to Karakura Town tonight so that way we can get things ready there."

Apacci thought about what Harribel said and then she understood.

"To derail the trains…it will require someone who's an expert in explosives. There are only two people who I know who are like that: Lilynette and Sung-Sun. There's no way that they'll let Lilynette go on a mission like that and so…so…" Apacci fell silent.

"Yes, Sung-Sun has agreed to go with them."

"But…you'll be…"

"I'll be heading to Karakura Town with the others. We agreed that the Espada and Captains who can fight will head towards Karakura Town. Yoruichi, who came up with this part of the plan, asked us if we knew of anyone who may be interested and I put your name forward."

"But…I…I…"

"You can refuse if you wish, but I trust you to do what needs to be done. Sung-Sun may need you to be there to help get her out alive in case things go sour."

"Well…she usually does," Apacci said. "But, Mistress Harribel, what about you?"

"I'll be fine. I lived most of my life alone in the Hueco Mundo Wastes and I'm still here. I can take care of myself. Besides, I also have Starrk and Lilynette to help."

"Are you sure that you trust me with this?" Apacci asked.

"I do."

Silence fell between them, broken only by the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves and through the dry grass. Harribel knew that Apacci had to decide for herself what she was to do. It was the first step for her to use Mila Rose's death to fuel her resolve instead of dragging her down with guilt. She was relieved when Apacci gave a small nod.

"I'll do it," Apacci said in a whisper. She looked up and looked Harribel in the eyes. Harribel was glad to see that the fire that always seemed to roar in Apacci was back. "I'll do it," Apacci said again.

_The warrior's back,_ Harribel thought.

_Garganta Pass_

"There it is," Alejo said.

Rudobon smiled and brushed the bone-mask hanging from the pommel of his saddle. In the distance, he could make out the opening to the Garganta Pass. The pass was wide enough to allow wagon trains to pass through, but was too narrow to accommodate the Senkaimon rail lines. The valley floor was littered with boulders that had been pushed to the side to keep the path clear and thus offered good protection for anyone waiting in ambush.

_I wouldn't put it past Aizen to lay an ambush against us to make him look like a hero,_ Rudobon thought. _But what would be the point? What would he have to gain if he did that?_

"We will proceed with caution," Rudobon said.

"Yes sir," Alejo said. He turned to go and then stopped. "Sir, they're coming," he said and pointed.

Rudobon looked in the direction that he was pointing and smiled.

"Skullak's ahead of schedule," he said. "Now, we wait for Baraggan."

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

Apacci made sure that the saddle was strapped on tight to Cierva.

"If we leave now, we can have everything set up for Aizen's welcome party," Jackie Tristan said. "But we can't if we're going to wait on you all day."

"Shut up, Dirty Boots," Apacci growled. "The last thing I need is you giving me shit."

"You've inspected that saddle fifteen times. There's no need for it to be pretty," Jackie said.

"I want to make sure that I don't end up riding sideways because the saddle wasn't put on properly," Apacci said.

"If you're afraid of that happening to you, then you might as well just put your saddle on sideways," Kensei said from his own mount.

"HEY! I'M NOT SCARED!" Apacci shouted.

"I didn't say you were," Kensei said and looked at Sung-Sun. "Is she always this wound-up?"

"Only when she's under a lot of stress," Sung-Sun said as she checked her bag of explosives. "So, who's going to do the explosives at the Tywin Line?"

"That'll be me," Yukio said.

"Here," Sung-Sun said and held out a small bag, "it's extra detonation wire in case you need it."

"Thanks," Yukio said as he took the bag.

"Alright," Yoruichi said from her mount, "here's the plan. Yukio, Kensei, Mashiro, Riruka, and Tatsuki will head to the Tywin line. Sung-Sun, Giriko, Apacci, Jackie, and I will head to the Shihoin line. We'll set up the explosives and when the trains come…we blow them up."

"Sounds simple enough," Riruka said.

"It's actually more difficult than it sounds," Sung-Sun said. "It requires perfect timing. We want to cause as much damage as we can to them and to do that we have to wait for the train's engine to be right on top of the explosives before we detonate them."

"We'll also have to make sure we're far enough away from the debris," Yukio said. "The last thing I want is to have a shard from the boiler cutting my head off."

"You're too short for that to happen," Riruka said. "If a shard of metal came flying at you, the most damage it would do is give you a nice haircut."

"Alright, after we hinder them by taking away the rail, we shoot them down," Yoruichi continued. "Those who survive the crash will be rushing to get as much of their equipment and horses unloaded. We'll use the chaos to cut them down. Make sure that you don't empty your revolvers at the same time. We need to maintain a steady stream of bullets to prevent them from organizing. When you run out of bullets or if they've gotten the chance to organize, run. We can't afford to take any more losses."

Apacci looked at the nine others who would be sent out while the others would make their way to Karakura Town. She began to wonder how many of them would still be alive when it was all over.

"Apacci, how are you holding up?" Sung-Sun asked.

"I'm holding up just fine," Apacci said, but the slight tremor in her hand betrayed her.

"Are you sure?"

"Damn it, Sung-Sun. Why do you always stick your nose where it isn't welcomed?"

"It's because I care about you," Sung-Sun replied. "You and Mila Rose were always hot-headed. You needed me to keep you from doing something crazy. And with Mila Rose gone, I need to keep you in line more than ever. Your arguments with her were one of the few things that prevented you from just charging into a dangerous situation."

"Yet we're going into a dangerous situation."

"Well…this is one of those times that need to be done."

"Yeah, well…promise me that you won't go dying on me or anything," Apacci said. "I don't think I can stand losing another sister."

"I'll promise only if you make the same promise."

Apacci smiled and nodded.

"I have no intention of dying just yet. I made a promise to Mila Rose to keep Mistress Harribel safe. I don't know about you, but I would rather not have her ghost haunting my ass."

Sung-Sun smiled.

"I know what you mean."

Apacci and Sung-Sun watched as the others finished preparing their horses for the ride. Neither were surprised to see that those who hadn't left to return to Karakura Town were saying their goodbyes. Kugo Ginjo and Shinji Hirako were shaking hands or even hugging the members of their individual squads who were about to head out. Kisuke and Yoruichi stood apart from everyone else, their foreheads touching.

"How many of us will return?" Sung-Sun asked.

"I don't know," Apacci said. "I just wish that Mistress Harribel was here."

"Who's to say that I wouldn't?"

They turned and saw Harribel and Lilynette walking towards them.

"Where's Starrk?" Sung-Sun asked.

"That lazy bum's sleeping again," Lilynette said. "Harribel didn't want me to wake him up."

"HA! Why am I not surprised?" Apacci asked.

"Anyways, we wanted to come and see you off," Lilynette said. She looked to Sung-Sun. "Be sure that you remember to wind the timing device before you insert the detonation fuse. If you wind up the timer after inserting the fuse, you could blow up the whole plan and yourself."

"I'll be sure to remember," Sung-Sun said as she rolled her eyes.

Lilynette gave a swift kick to her shin.

"AND DON'T ROLL YOUR EYES AT ME!" Lilynette shouted.

Apacci burst out laughing. Sung-Sun only sighed as she rubbed her shin.

"Fine, I'll be careful," Sung-Sun said.

Lilynette gave a sharp nod of her head and then hugged Sung-Sun.

"Just don't get yourself killed, Aunt Sung-Sun," she said. She went to Apacci and hugged her as well. "The same goes for you, Aunt Apacci."

"Well, I'll do my best to get us both back alive and in one piece," Apacci said as she rubbed Lilynette's head. "Please tell Starrk that he better take good care of Mistress Harribel or else I might have to castrate him."

Lilynette nodded and let go of Apacci. She rubbed the tears from her eyes and nodded.

"I'll be sure to give him a nice hard kick to get things started," she said.

Apacci smiled.

"Apacci, Sung-Sun," Harribel said. "Good luck, and…and come back safe."

"We'll try," Sung-Sun said. "And hopefully we'll do a lot of damage to them before we got to Karakura Town."

Harribel nodded and enfolded both of them in an embrace.

"Make sure that you fight hard enough for three warriors instead of two," she whispered. "Make Mila Rose proud."

"We will," Apacci whispered.

"ALRIGHT!" Yoruichi shouted. "LET'S MOVE OUT! WE HAVE SOME MEN TO KILL!"

Apacci mounted Cierva while Sung-Sun mounted Anaconda. Yoruichi led the way with Tatsuki just behind her. Apacci looked to Sung-Sun and then to the others who were coming with them. Yukio, Riruka, and Jackie traveled together with Giriko just behind them. Kensei and Mashiro were a little ways apart from the group and Apacci saw that Mashiro was trying to gallop away while Kensei was kept a hold on the reigns of her horse.

She had a feeling that not all of them would survive.

_Karakura Town_

The mass exodus from Karakura Town was relatively organized. Pinkerton agents made their way through the crowds to maintain order. Those who could shoot a rifle or a gun or even a slingshot were divided into two main groups. One group would stay behind to help with the defenses and the other group would help protect the refugees.

The barricades were, for the most part, made of old buildings that had been torn down or left to ruin. Bricks, wooden planks, carts, sacks of grain, and whatever else could be found were being piled up between buildings. When one street was blocked off, the flood of escapees were sent elsewhere to make their escape.

Yasutora Sado was helping to load one of the many carts being used to transfer supplies from the old parts of Karakura Town to wherever the barricades were being built. He looked at the crew commander, a large man with broad shoulders and long black hair hung loosely about the shoulders and black stubble covering his face. A hastily made cigarillo hung from one corner of his mouth, which he chewed on like a cow chewing cud.

"COME ON YA SONS-A-WHORES!" he roared. "HURRY IT UP! THERE ARE ARRANCARS OUT THERE THAT WANNA FUCK YAR CORPSES! BUT IF YA DON'T HURRY IT UP, THEN I SWEAR TA GOD THAT I'LL BE THE ONE RAPIN' YAR CORPSES!"

_That's a pleasant thought,_ Chad thought. He wondered how Ichigo and the others were doing. He and Uryu had come back to Karakura Town in hopes of finding any sign of Rukia or the Arrancars already inside Karakura Town. However, they had been pressed into service almost immediately. Uryu was sent to help prepare the infirmaries that were sure to be filled up when the fighting started while Chad had been pressed into helping set up the defenses.

"Hey, Giant," the young man next to him said. "Do you think these will hold?"

Chad looked at the wall they were making and shook his head.

"I thought so," the man said. "I don't see what the point is. These defenses won't last long, so why bother making them? Wouldn't the debris just get more of the defenders killed?"

"I suppose," Chad said.

"Yeah, but try telling that to old Yoren, and he'll just tell ya to shut your fucking mouth before he decides to nail it shut." He shook his head as he looked at the wall. "Well…just by looking at what we're building, I can tell ya this much, Giant: we're as good as dead. I just hope that no one comes up to my corpse and put a gun in my hand and say, 'Alright, Ed, enough lyin' down on the job. Ya don't want to be corpse-raped do ya? No? Good. Then take this gun and start shootin'.'"

Chad didn't say anything. He went back to work while Yoren continued to yell out his own version of encouragement, which mostly had to do with their corpses being raped while their heads were being kicked around with the occasional reminder that they were "sons-a-whores."

He just hoped that their efforts would be enough to repel the invaders.

_Fort Seireitei_

Arturo Plateado looked at the map spread out on the table. Aizen traced his finger along the Shihoin line.

"Arturo, you will be in charge of the lead train, which will depart fifteen minutes after your uncle's train has left to travel along the Tywin line."

Arturo nodded. He thought that Aizen's plan was a sound one. There would be four trains total, each one would be leaving fifteen minutes apart of each other, but would alternate between lines.

"I take it my brother will be in charge of the second train for the Tywin line and you'll be in charge of the second for the Shihoin line."

"That's correct," Aizen said. "If they decide to lay a trap for us, then we can respond."

"So that's why you decided on having each train for each line leave thirty minutes apart from each other. The land is flat for the most part and so it will be easier for the rear train to keep an eye on the lead," Arturo said.

"That's right," Aizen said. "I have already gone over parts of the plan with your brother and uncle. However, I did not share all of it with them."

Arturo looked at Aizen, somewhat confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I left part of the plan out, because it will only have to do with your train."

"What…is it?"

"Your train will not stop at the intended spot four miles outside of town. It will keep going and pull into the Karakura Station. When you have pulled into the station, you will unload the nitroglycerin and use it to destroy their defenses on the west side of the Karakura River, starting with their cannons and rapid-fire shooters."

"I see."

"I will stop my train four miles outside of Karakura Town and wait another fifteen minutes before riding out. That will give your brother and uncle's forces enough time to weaken the defenses severely."

"I see. But wouldn't they put a small force at the station?"

Aizen smiled.

"They would think that we wouldn't take the risk of pulling right into their front door. The Arrancar Army will attack from the west and they'll expect an attack from the east. The Karakura Station will probably have a small token force, but nothing to worry about. Their main forces will be concentrated at the west."

Arturo nodded. Then he thought of something.

"What if they prepare a trap for the trains? Wouldn't that ruin the plan?"

Aizen smiled and shook his head.

"It wouldn't do them any good," Aizen said. "They don't nearly have enough manpower to take out the rails."

"What about explosives?"

"I ordered Zommari to render them useless."

"And what if he didn't?"

"Zommari is obedient to my every command. He would not fail me in that regard."

"If you say so," Arturo said.

"So, how is the loading coming along?"

"The horses are being loaded even as we speak. It will be another hour before we can depart."

"Good," Aizen said. He looked out the window to the darkening sky. "Is Momo on my train right now?"

"She is."

"Is she…still drugged?"

"Yes sir."

Aizen sighed and shook his head.

"I hate having to do that to her. If there was any way I could spare her then I would, but…she's close to Captain Hitsugaya."

"What about him?"

"His father escaped my vengeance by dying of pneumonia. He's the only Hitsugaya left and I have to make sure that all of those who were responsible for the Betrayal suffer. And if not the actual person, then their blood will have to pay." Aizen curled his fist.

"Even if that means making the innocent suffer?"

"There are no innocent. They're all guilty to some degree," Aizen snarled. "Do not mistake me, Arturo. I hate causing Momo to suffer. She was so trusting and so child-like. She was like…" He stopped and shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I will see Hitsugaya suffer. I will see Kuchiki suffer. I will see to it that the only ones left on my list of vengeance will suffer.

"And when I've done that, then I'll turn my vengeance against Stone Hill. Even as we speak, the President may have decided to send his armies against us, but I will make sure that he does not succeed. I will burn the farmlands. I will burn the cities. I will…"

"Then why not do that now? Why destroy Karakura Town? It will only waste men and resources," Arturo said. "Have the trains go east."

"NO! I will see Karakura Town destroyed first. It is the secondary capital of the Gensei Provinces. It is the symbol of their westward expansion just as Fort Seireitei was the symbol of the military might of the Gotei. I want to make sure that they all suffer."

_He's allowing his rage to blind him,_ Arturo thought. He realized that nothing would persuade Aizen from changing course. He was too focused on destroying Karakura Town to think of anything else. _Besides, it's too late to change course now. We're in too deep._

"Is there anything else you need to go over with me, sir?" Arturo asked.

"There is nothing. You may go and get our forces divided between the trains and load them on board. When they're all on board then we will leave for Karakura Town."

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

Keigo Asano was loading the cart when Kisuke came out of the cabin.

"Have Hachi and Hanataro left with the Kurosaki girls?" he asked.

"Yeah," Keigo said. "Ichigo went with them to see them off."

"I figured he would. Are you ready to head back?"

"I don't like this," Keigo moaned. "I mean, I was hoping to be as far away from the battle as possible."

"I know, but we need to do this."

Kisuke hopped up into the cart.

"Come on, young man," Tessai said as he lifted Keigo off his feet. "It's time for you to do your part as well."

"But…what about…"

"They'll follow later tonight," Kisuke said. "It will be easier for us to sneak back into Karakura Town in small groups instead of one large group. Besides, they'll be busy with the evacuation procedures to pay us any heed."

"I hope you're right," Keigo moaned.

He saw that Kugo Ginjo and Davis Murphy were heading to the stables.

"So you're heading back as well?" Kisuke asked.

"We figured we should," Kugo said. "Shinji will be heading back with Captain Kyoraku in a couple of hours or so. We'll head south a little ways before heading west."

"Sounds good, we'll be coming from the north," Kisuke said. "We don't want anyone to know where we came from, if they're even paying attention to who's coming in or out."

"Yeah, well, they will for the west side of town, but I doubt they'll pay attention to the east until around dawn or so," Davis said. "At any rate, when this is done, I'll buy you a beer."

"Sounds good," Kisuke said. "Take care and make sure you don't die along the way."

"The same goes with you," Kugo said as he and made their way northwest.

"Shall we get started, boss?" Tessai asked.

"We might as well," Kisuke said.

"Alright," Tessai said. "Let's get moving."

Keigo lied back on the cart's bed and looked up at the darkening sky. He could see that the stars were starting to come out.

"Star light, star bright," he whispered, "first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, gaze upon you tomorrow night."

He closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep.

_Garganta Pass_

Ggio Vega saw Sui-Feng sitting on a boulder at the top of the ridge. The vanguard forces were busy placing the Cero cannons in range for the opening shots that would lay cover fire for the charging forces. However, she wasn't watching them. She was looking towards Karakura Town and the sky turning from red to indigo as the sun set behind them.

"It's so beautiful," she said.

"The sunset?" Ggio asked.

"That, and…" she turned and smiled at him, "and that the citizens of Karakura Town are preparing for the attack."

Ggio smiled.

"It will only make things more fun," he said. "What's the point of crushing your foe if they're not going to put up a fight?"

"How do you know they won't crush you?" Sui-Feng asked.

Ggio smiled at that.

"May I?" he asked and gestured to the spot next to her.

"Go right ahead, Arrancar," Sui-Feng said with a slight hint of mockery in her voice.

"Are you sure that it's wise to mock me right now? We're not in the Wastes anymore."

"That's true. But you're still a scrawny little kid. Now, what do you want?"

"We want information," Ggio said.

"You won't get it."

"By hook or by crook, we will."

Sui-Feng burst out laughing at that and Ggio couldn't help but join her. He had never heard her laugh before and found that he liked hearing her laugh. He found it odd that even though tomorrow blood will flow, tonight they could laugh.

Ggio didn't want it to end, but, like everything else, times of laughter must come to an end.

Sui-Feng was the first to stop laughing and she looked at him. Ggio couldn't help but notice that her eyes were not as hard as before. They were filled with sorrow and resignation. He felt his heart break at seeing just how vulnerable she really was.

"But seriously, what do you want?"

"I…I merely came to see you," Ggio said. "I…I just…"

_Damn it,_ he thought. _Why can't I just come out and say what I want to say?_

"You wanted to make sure that I was doing fine," Sui-Feng said. It wasn't a question.

"Well…yeah…"

Sui-Feng nodded and was silent for a moment. Ggio looked at her. He wanted to do something to comfort her. He wanted to put an arm about her shoulder. He wanted to run his hand through her raven black hair to see if it was as smooth as silk. He raised one hand and hesitated before slowly reaching out for her.

"Thank you," she said.

Ggio's hand stopped in mid-air. He looked at her in surprise.

"What?"

"Thank you, for…for being a friend." She turned and looked at him. She grabbed his hand and brought it to one cheek. "It's alright," she said. "I know that I'm going to die tomorrow."

"You…don't have to," Ggio said. "You could run away tonight. You could hide and…"

She put her other hand over his mouth and shook her head.

"No," she said. "No one in my family has ever run away, even when death was staring them in the face. If I die tomorrow, then I die."

Ggio wanted to say so much to try to persuade her otherwise. She was young. She had her whole life in front of her. Why would she give it up?

Her hand lowered from his mouth. But before Ggio could say anything to protest her lips were on his.

_She tastes like cherries,_ he thought. Then all thought fled his mind. The past did not matter. Tomorrow did not matter. All that mattered was now and her. He ran one hand through her hair while the other pushed her close to him.

In the distance, a wolf began to howl.

_Dream Wilderness_

_ White sand gave way to white grass as Orihime Inoue walked. She could feel the cool grass kiss her feet and a gentle breeze brush her face._

Is this what death feels like? It doesn't feel so bad,_ she thought._

_ She heard a wolf howl somewhere behind her. She turned and saw a wolf looking at her with blue-grey eyes. The wolf approached her and she smiled. She knew that the wolf would not hurt her._

_ The wolf stopped and looked up at her. She reached down and stroked the soft fur on its head._

_ "I'm sorry," she said. "It looks like I won't be able to help after all."_

_ The wolf turned and started to walk away. It stopped and turned to look at her. She understood and started to follow the wolf._

Why am I following the wolf? I should be following the bat,_ she thought as she walked._

_ The wolf stopped again and looked at her. It let out a quick bark._

_ "I do trust you," she said. "But shouldn't the bat be the one next to me?"_

_ The wolf turned and continued on. Orihime sighed and followed. She looked up at the night sky above, hoping to see some glimpse of the bat._

_ "Ulquiorra, where are you?" she asked. "Why can't I see you?"_

_ She bumped into something soft and was able to keep from falling. She looked and saw that the wolf had stopped. It was sitting on its hind haunches and was looking towards the crescent moon. It let out a long howl that filled the night._

_ Orihime could hear other wolves cry out in answer. She looked around and saw that she was surrounded by a ring of wolves. They were all on their hind haunches and they were all howling their response._

_ "Starrk, what is this?" Orihime asked._

_ The wolf close to her did not respond. Instead, it got back on all fours and leaped away._

_ "WAIT! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" Orihime called out._

_ "I wouldn't worry about where he's going," a voice said behind her._

_ Orihime's eyes widened. She knew that voice, and the memory of the last time she heard it came to her._

"JUST GO! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!"

"I don't hate you. Orihime, you'll always be my Little Princess."

_ "Big…Brother," she whispered and turned._

_ Tears filled her eyes when she saw her brother dressed in his Gotei uniform. He smiled at her._

_ "My Little Princess," he said._

_ "Big…Brother," Orihime whispered. She rushed towards him and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm so sorry," she said as tears spilled from her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say those mean things to you. I…I'm so sorry."_

_ Sora rubbed the back of her head, smiling at her._

_ "I know," he said. "I know."_

_ "Are…are you here to take me away?"_

_ "That depends on you," Sora replied. "You may choose to come with me or you may choose to go with him." Sora pointed and Orihime looked. Her eyes brightened when she saw Ulquiorra._

_ "I…I can choose," she said._

_ "That's right. Life and death is a choice up to the moment when Fate decrees a person is to die."_

_ "But…but I don't know…I want to go with Ulquiorra, but…"_

_ "If it helps, know that I'll always be with you," Sora said and kissed her forehead. "You're my Little Princess."_

_ Orihime smiled and hugged her brother._

_ "Will you wait for me?"_

_ "Of course I will," Sora said. "When the time comes, I will be waiting for you."_

_ "Promise?"_

_ "I promise. After all, you'll always be my Little Princess."_

_ Orihime hugged her brother again and looked into his eyes._

_ "Sora, there's something I've always regretted never saying before you left. I don't know if it would have made any difference, but…but I've always regretted never saying it. I've always regretted having the last thing you've ever heard me tell you was something said out of anger."_

_ "Orihime, what happened wasn't…"_

_ "I know it wasn't my fault," Orihime said. "But that doesn't mean that I haven't felt guilty about it. So, I'm going to say what I need to say in order to help me let go." Orihime kissed her brother's cheek and brushed at his hair. "Have a nice day, Big Brother."_

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

Orihime Inoue opened her eyes. At first her vision was blurred. It took a few seconds and a couple of blinks before her vision adjusted. She turned her head and saw Ulquiorra in the bed next to her sitting up, or at least doing his best to sit up.

He looked at her and a small smile came on his face.

"Are we…?" she asked weakly.

Ulquiorra nodded.

"CAPTAIN UNOHANA!" Isane shouted. "CAPTAIN UNOHANA! THEY'RE AWAKE! THEY'RE AWAKE!"

_Karakura Town_

Tsukishima sat on his horse as he watched the makeshift barricade rise. The Cero cannons and Bala shooters from the armory were being rolled into place. The civilians who were drafted to help in the defense were being drilled by their squad commanders. He knew that the preparations would continue through the night and so he had made sure that each team would work in shifts with the best fighters having the most rest.

"Kommandant," Kirge Opie said, "Bolton and Royce have left to intercept the forces coming from Fort Seireitei."

"Good," Tsukishima said. "Has Farson set up the explosives at the bridges?"

"He has, but…"

"But what?"

"There may be a problem that the debris could dam the river and provide any enemy forces coming from the east a bridge."

Tsukishima frowned. He hadn't considered that possibility. It would be cumbersome, but crossing a river using debris stuck in the bed of a shallow river could be done.

"Have some of the defenders spread out to cover the river bank. They can use the buildings along the river bank for cover if they have to. The streets will provide good choke-points."

"Very well, Kommandant," Kirge said and gave a small salute before marching off.

Tsukishima looked at the Precipice Mountains on the other side of the flat plain.

"Two miles," he whispered. "There's two miles of open ground and no place for them to hide." He smiled. "They won't last a half-hour and then we can focus our attention on Aizen."

_Karakura Town-Old Town_

Zommari Rureaux looked out the window of one of the decaying buildings on the east side of the Karakura River. He was not surprised to see that the defenders were raiding the armories for weapons and ammunition and anything they could use to build their defenses.

"It would appear that Tsukishima is going to turn on us," Dorian Semental said from his chair.

"Yes, it's what Aizen said he would," Aaroniero rasped from behind his mask. "Is that why he sent us ahead?"

"It must be," Zommari said. "He wants us to ensure that the defenses will not succeed." He folded his hands together. "Dorian, I want you to send a group of men tonight to ensure that the defenses are properly weakened. Target their artillery. We must make sure that the Arrancar Army crushes the defenses before Lord Aizen comes."

"Fine," Dorian said as he got up. "You can leave that part to me."

Aaroniero got up.

"I'll see if my scouts have seen any sign of the traitors," he rasped. "If they have, I shall take care of them myself."

Zommari nodded.

"They who stand against the Lord's chosen are fated to be destroyed," he said. "Those who serve the will of the Lord shall be victorious."

"Whatever you say," Aaroniero rasped and left the room.

Zommari looked out the window a little bit longer. He couldn't help but think that there was something he forgot to do.

_But could I have missed? I did everything that Lord Aizen instructed. I withdrew Brujería from the Gotei to make the addicts weaken from withdrawal. I got the Kurosaki brat out of the way and Abarai is dead. Miss Kuchiki is under my control and soon we'll have control of the cannons and ammunition. What could I have forgotten?_

He walked to the door that led to what had once been a bedroom. The two guards saluted before opening the door to grant him entry. He raised a hand to them in return.

"You may leave for the night. Be sure to get rest for the sacred battle will be tomorrow," Zommari said.

"Sure thing, sir," one of the guards said. The other only nodded before the two left.

Zommari entered the room and looked to the girl sitting in the chair set in the middle of the room. She was as docile as ever and her eyes were glazed over.

"Miss Kuchiki," Zommari said. "Do you hear me?"

"I hear," Rukia said in a monotonous voice.

"Good," Zommari said as he knelt in front of her. He put his hands on either side of her face and looked into her dull eyes. "Tomorrow, you will fulfill your purpose. Then, true Euforia Absoluta will be yours."

_Sergio Leone Ranch_

"Will you be able to fight?" Starrk asked.

"I can shoot a gun," Ulquiorra said as he leaned against the cabin wall. "I may not be able to move as swiftly as before, but I can still move."

"I suppose that's a good thing," Ichigo said. "Ulquiorra, I…I want to apologize. I didn't trust any of you and I allowed my prejudice to blind me."

"I should apologize to you as well," Ulquiorra said. "I caused you much pain and I caused Miss Inoue much pain as well. I cannot fault you for not trusting us. However, the past is the past and tomorrow has yet to be written."

Ichigo nodded.

"Alright," Starrk said. "Ulquiorra, do you think you can still move like a shadow?"

Ulquiorra thought about it and only shrugged.

"I'm afraid I do not know at this point in time. However, I will know for certain tomorrow."

"Alright," Starrk said. "Can you still ride?"

"Yes. I am adequately recovered to be able to ride."

"Alright then," Ichigo said and smiled. He looked at Starrk. "We have one more fighter."

Starrk nodded and rubbed his head.

_But will it be enough?_ Starrk could only hope that it would.

_Fort Seireitei_

The sound of the four trains heading to Karakura Town faded in the distance as night fell on Karakura Town.

Night fell over the necropolis. The only sounds were the blowing wind and the songs of the carrion birds feasting on the corpses left in the streets and the howling of wolves.

**End of Chapter 17**

**A.N.: The end is nigh. The final confrontation is about to begin.**

**Anyways, sorry that it took me so long to get this written, but things have been extremely busy for me. From the way things are looking there are going to be four more chapters for this story and then it will be done.**

**I also had to get in a nod to "Game of Thrones". That series is one of my major addictions and fortunately I have the books to tide me over until Season 3.**

**Thank you for reading and please review.**


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